Pleased to meet you
by Sidura
Summary: Sequel to Isn't it surprising what you see on the news? Crossover with Supernatural. Best summary I can think of is 'Alec goes to meet the Winchesters.' Rated M for events in chapter 9
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - Anyone that anyone recognises isn't mine, which is most people in this.

Okay, this is a sequel to 'Isn't it surprising what you see on the News' so it is basically how Alec meets the rest of the Winchesters (yes it is another supernatural crossover, folks, I'm still beating that drum.) Although if anyone is wondering I am still plodding along with Ritual and Chocolate Cream pie, (which is really the main story.)

If you want to know who Billy and Molly are you can read that story or 'Isn't it surprising what you see on the News', as they turn up in it, but basically they are John and Ellen's children. Molly is adopted, (very important point for later on in this story), she was saved by Sam and Dean before they disappeared and Billy was born after John came back from Hell - also he has Down Syndrome so if I get any points wrong with that let me know.

And if you are still willing to give this a read after all that - you are a better person than I am.

* * *

The place was deserted, with a little light working its way in through the grime covered windows. He yelled a couple of times with no response, but he supposed a place like this didn't come alive until after dark.

He wasn't sure why he was here; he'd put it off for a while, told himself that things needed to settle down at home first. Home? Who'd have thought he'd be calling a dump like TC home a year ago, but he was, but now – well, now he was here. He'd made the big leap into the unknown and guess what - there was no one to meet him; served him right for not calling.

He supposed it was part curiosity, part just wanting a break from the world of supply runs and guard rotas, and part just not knowing what to do with himself. What he did know was that the need to find out about this place had started to grow stronger when her brother and sister had shown up.

Not that he had anything against Syl and Krit, they were great, but seeing Max so open with people she hadn't seen in years confused him. The only explanation that she could give him was that they were her family, so he supposed, in a way, him being here was his way of finding out what that meant.

He leaned over the bar to look for a pad and pen to leave a note and maybe snag himself something to drink – well, he had come a long way. That was when he heard the bolt action of the rifle.

"Okay, this isn't what it looks like," he said, straightening up but not turning around.

"Really?" she asked, pushing the barrel into his back. "Tell me what it doesn't look like?"

He didn't move. "Can I get back to you on that?"

There was no response or movement on her side.

"Don't suppose it'd help if I said that I know the owner."

"Really, you do?"

He nodded. "Yeah, said that if I needed a place to stay that I'd be welcome."

"Funny that; she never told me that she knew someone who'd take advantage. Most people who know her wouldn't be so stupid to try it."

"She?" Alec replied.

"Yeah, she!"

He felt the barrel being pushed into his back a little more. "Well, maybe not the owner – her husband?"

"Right. You're not reaching at all here, are you?"

"Is that a rifle you're holding?" he asked.

"Why?"

He grinned. "No reason. But you know you shouldn't put that too close."

"Why is that?"

"Because it means I can do this." He spun around, grabbing the barrel, pulling the gun out of her hand, only to find a revolver pointing at his face.

"Yeah, well, that is why I carry this!" Molly said, before taking a step back. "Be..Dean?"

"Ahh. No," Alec said. "You're Moll, right?"

"You're Alec, aren't you?" she said as she lowered the gun slightly.

"Yeah, that I am," he said, smiling, just as he got water squirted into his face.

"Billy!" Molly yelled.

A small form, wearing a back to front baseball cap, came running out from the side of the bar and hid behind his sister. "His face isn't melting."

"Why the hell would it, kid?" Alec said, wiping his face. "You wouldn't happen to have something to dry…?"

Billy ran over to grab a bar towel and handed it to Alec before darting back behind his sister.

"Whoa, he's really real, isn't he?" Billy said to Molly.

Molly sighed. "Yes, and you didn't have to squirt him."

"But Dad said we have to check," Billy said, still pointing his water pistol at Alec. Molly grabbed the thing out of her little brother's hand.

"You are dangerous with that thing, you know that," she snapped at her little brother.

"Am not!"

She turned her head toward Alec. "Sorry about him; it's just, well, he's…twelve.

"I'm almost thirteen," Billy said resolutely.

Molly rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"He must be Billy, right?" Alec said. The boy peeked out from behind his sister, not willing to come out until she completely lowered the gun.

"Yeah, he is."

"Talking about me in the third person is rude, you know!" Billy said as he finally stood beside his sister. "I'll tell Mom."

"Billy, not now!" Molly said, before turning her attention to Alec. "So you finally came, then?"

Alec smiled at the younger kid – so this was his family. He looked back up at the girl. "Yeah, finally found some time."

"Dad wasn't sure you'd ever come," Molly replied, to which Alec bit his lip. He hadn't been too good at keeping in touch, but life at Terminal City wasn't exactly one where you got time for that.

"Do you want a beer?" Billy asked, scooting behind the bar.

Molly rolled her eyes. "Billy, get out from there!"

"Sure, why not?" Alec said, smiling at the scene. Molly placed a beer on the bar for Alec after chasing Billy from the bar area.

She picked up a soda bottle, passing it to her brother. "Here, behave."

Billy stuck out his tongue at her as he jumped on a stool beside Alec, turning to prod him in the chest. "You're real! You're really real, aren't you?"

Alec shrugged. "Yeah, kid, I'm real."

"You decided to actually pay us a visit?" Molly said.

"You said that before," Alec said. "I couldn't get away any earlier."

"Right, things settled down in… what is that place called?"

"Terminal City – and no, not really, but it's as calm as it's ever going to get," Alec replied. "Really didn't expect such a warm reception."

"Mom and Dad are out, it's just us right now," Molly said.

"Right," Alec replied. "Any idea when they'll be back?"

"Later tonight – before opening time," Molly replied.

"Are you going to stay?" Billy asked slightly cagily.

Alec shrugged. "Don't know yet, thought I'd meet you guys before I decided that."

"And you're really a transgenetic?" Billy asked

Alec smiled. "It's transgenic, and yeah, I'm one."

"Billy, don't be rude," Molly said, though she was curious herself about it.

"No, it's okay, as long as you guys aren't going to try to shoot me or anything," Alec joked.

"Nah, " Billy grinned, "We leave that to Mom."

Alec smiled. "So I'll have to watch out for her, then?"

"She isn't that bad," Molly said.

Billy peered at her. "That isn't what your boyfriend said."

"Why did I have to have a little brother?" Molly asked rhetorically.

Billy turned back to Alec. "What type of trans-gen-ic are you? 'Cause when Dad came back he said there was lots of different kinds."

Alec took a mouthful of the beer. "X series, X-5 to be precise."

"Really?" Billy sounded impressed.

"He has no idea what that means," Molly said, to which her little brother threw her a dirty look.

"I'm a little more versatile than most," Alec said.

"Right, a jack of all trades ?" Molly asked Alec.

"Suppose," Alec replied.

"That sounds cool!" Billy said.

"Trust me, kid, it wasn't," Alec replied, taking another drink.

"See, going out isn't fun," Molly said to Billy.

"Yeah, you keep saying that, but you'd still get to go if you asked," Billy replied to his sister. Finishing off his soda, he hopped off his stool, and headed to the back to go grab a bag of pretzels.

"What do you think so far, then?" Molly asked Alec who was appeared slightly confused by Billy's statement.

"Seems all white picket fence so far – I'm waiting for the apple pie to turn up," Alec said.

"Apple pie in the Winchester house?" Molly asked with a smile on her face. "Boy, you're going to be in for a surprise."

"What? Mom doesn't bake?" Alec replied. "Well, I suppose that is to be expected, can't imagine John with little Sally Homemaker."

Molly grinned. "He didn't tell you much about Mom, did he?"

Alec shook his head. "No. Not much."

"Sounds like Dad," Molly said glancing over her shoulder to see where her brother was before turning back to Alec, "By the way, finding you opened up a whole load of old wounds for them, especially when you wrote to tell them that there was no-one that looked like Sam and Jo among you guys."

Alec nodded. They had a search, but short of making every transhuman and nomlie have a DNA test, they were pretty sure that he was the only one whose DNA could be traced back to the people in that bar.

"So, don't take this personally, but if you're here to cause them any trouble, think again, okay? Because I have known how to use that gun since I was his age," Molly continued.

Alec took in what she was saying. "Right, nothing personal."

"Okay, then we're clear?" Molly said, returning to her drink.

"Sure," Alec said.

The three of them were sitting at the bar just talking about random things when they heard the pick-up truck pull up.

Billy went running out the front door of the bar, all excited.

"I'm going to put a leash on him," Molly said. Before following her brother outside, she turned to Alec. "Stay here."

As she went outside she saw Billy jumping up and down in front of the pick-up as Ellen and John climbed out.

"Billy, calm down," Ellen said on seeing her son. "Don't need to be carrying on like that, you know how you get, we see you."

"Yeah, but we got a surprise," Billy said as John pulled out a couple of bags of supplies.

"Surprise? Is this a good surprise, or have you had another note from school surprise?" John asked.

Billy blushed and quickly quietened down as Molly smiled behind him.

"Ash and Leanne get away all right?" Molly asked as John handed her the bags.

Ellen nodded. "Dumb fool, almost thought he was going to burst into tears as they were driving off."

"Definitely glad they don't visit her folks that often," John said, before turning his attention to his son, picking Billy up. "So you got a surprise?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it is a surprise, it's just…" Molly said.

"We got a visitor, Dad. Can he stay? Can he?" Billy asked.

"Who?" John asked.

"Can we get in the door first?" Ellen said to her son who was currently being thrown over his father's shoulder.

"Mom, please?" Billy begged. "Can he? He says that he hasn't made up his mind."

"You know if your friend wants to stay I have to talk to his mom and dad?" John asked.

"Got no idea what my dad would say," Alec said, standing in the doorway.

John carefully put Billy down as he looked at the figure standing in the bar door.

Ellen's face paled as she saw the ghost in the doorway; John glanced over at her, before turning back to look at Alec.

"Can he stay? Can he?" Billy asked. "We tested him, with the holy water and everything, he's real, Mom, he's really real."

"Why don't we get this stuff inside, okay, Bill?" Molly said, seeing the look on her mother's face.

Alec straightened up, not sure what to say, especially on seeing the woman's reaction – damn it, he should have called first.

"Ellen?" John asked his wife.

"I'm all right, John," Ellen took a breath. "So you're Alec, then?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said. He had no idea where the ma'am came from, but for some reason he felt he should say it; he really wanted this meeting to go well.

"You finally decided to pay us a visit?" Ellen replied.

Alec nodded. "Maybe I should have called first."

"Maybe you should have, but too late for that," she replied. "You eaten?"

Alec shook his head. "No, not yet."

John gave his wife a little smile.

She started head towards the house before turning her head toward Alec, "Well, get your stuff and get over to the house. You better like meatloaf."

Alec grabbed his bag, preparing to follow them. "Meatloaf will be fine, ma'am."

* * *

Molly left to open the bar after dinner, leaving the rest of them to clean up. Billy was whizzing around Alec, asking questions about what he was, where he'd been, and what his life back in Seattle was like, while John helped Ellen with the washing up.

"What are we going to do with him?" Ellen asked her husband.

John gave a slight shrug. "He wants to know more about where he came from instead of just thinking he was cooked up in some lab; it's something we can give him. But, no way in hell can he stay in the bar."

"Probably got a full house as it is by now," Ellen added.

"Even if we didn't, it would be a bad idea," John replied. "Didn't get a chance to explain when I first met him."

"Great, so not only have we got a transgenic sitting in our dining room, we've got one who doesn't know what we do," Ellen said, putting down a cup.

"Seeing how they were preparing to fight for their existence last time I saw him, it didn't exactly seem the right time to bring it up," John said.

"When the hell is it ever?"

Ellen turned around to watch Billy and Alec through the half open door to the dining room. Alec was smiling as the young boy was jumping around.

"What did he do, again, for them?" Ellen asked.

John took a breath. "I didn't ask him, but I'm guessing it wasn't good."

"Right," Ellen replied.

"Ellen, if you don't want him here I'll sort something out for him."

Ellen shook her head. "There are people over there, right now, that remember the boys, so sending him out might not be the best idea."

John nodded. Too many of the hunters they knew would shoot first and ask questions later; seeing Dean's ghost leaving the house wouldn't be the best idea.

"Guess I got no problem with him taking the couch for a couple of nights until we sort something out," Ellen said.

John wrapped his arms round his wife, picking her up and swinging her round, causing her to let out a little yelp.

"John, put me down, put me down!" Ellen said, her hands covered in suds.

Alec and Billy heard the noise from the kitchen. Alec went to stand up, but Billy shook his head.

"They are always like that, 'specially when Dad comes home from a trip. Guess she said you could stay if you want to."

"Okay," Alec replied. So this was family life.

* * *

The couch wasn't too bad. Alec seemed to slowly get used to the house, though he could understand why they were a little cagey around him. He couldn't really expect them to be anything less, though perhaps he had hoped for more.

He was woken by a bag being thrown by the door; they all seemed to be up and about – and he had thought that Max didn't sleep.

"Come on, Billy, school run pulling out in five minutes!" Molly yelled, grabbing a piece of toast. "Dad's waiting."

"Coming!" The boy came running out to front room.

Alec blinked for a few minutes before getting up and going over to the table where Ellen was handing Molly a list of things to get in town.

"Hope the couch was okay for you?" Ellen asked.

"Yeah, it was fine. Slept on worse," Alec replied, looking at the table, unsure if he should ask before taking something to eat.

Ellen sensed Alec's apprehension. "Help yourself – not going to let you starve."

Alec smiled. "Thanks – just don't want to piss off the boss, you know."

"Boss?" Ellen smirked. "I like that – you just remember it and we'll get on fine."

"What is this place like, then?" he asked, causing her to peer at him.

Ellen didn't answer for a second. "It's all right – you don't push into anyone else's business, then they'll butt out of yours."

"Good," Alec replied. "I don't want to seem rude or anything, but I thought I might take a look about town today."

"Understand that you need to get to know the place if you're staying," Ellen said. "Get to know the layout of the place, find the exits."

Alec stilled; obviously, Ellen wasn't too comfortable with his past.

"Look, I get it, I really do – I look like someone you guys lost. I didn't ask for it, neither did you guys, but he invited me, and I can't change what I am."

"Not asking you to and I understand why you're here. But you listen, if you are staying we have rules – keep your nose clean and you'll have a place with us."

"Yes, ma'am," Alec said quietly.

"That means you stay out of other people's business, and John'll make sure they stay out of yours."

Alec nodded, not sure why that was important.

"While you're here you earn your keep; we may run a bar but that doesn't mean you get room and board for free."

"I'm prepared to work if I have to," Alec said, smirking.

"If you have to?" Ellen said, raising an eyebrow. "Why can I picture Dean saying that?"

Alec swallowed, unsure what to say.

Ellen took a second, watching Alec as Molly came in to pick up her bag, before she and Billy left to get a run into town.

"Also, boy, now I may be tarring you with the same brush as the one you came from, and if I'm wrong I'll apologize, but I don't know how it exactly works for your kind seeing how you got bits and pieces of everything in there. Now, you can go have your fun, got no problem with that as long as I don't have anyone coming to my door, but for you some things are off the menu – forget that and you won't live to regret it."

Alec just nodded.

"Lastly, you break their hearts you'll deal with me!" Ellen said firmly.

"Yes, ma'am."

Ellen took a drink of her orange juice. "Good, so we understand each other, then?"

"Yes, ma'am," Alec said, not sure if he should salute her at that moment.

* * *

Alec rode his bike into town, getting a feel for the place. It was a small town, not too big, it wasn't a town you'd really expect to find your settling in, but it was a good place if your business involved dealing with people who were passing through on the way to somewhere else – which it seemed the Winchester's business was.

John had gotten back before Alec had gone out. He didn't offer to take him on a tour of the place, and Alec was kind of glad of that, preferring to get a feel for the area himself. He appreciated that the man backed off and let him figure things out for himself.

He settled in the park, watching people pass by. It was strange, being away from the drabness of city life. Not that this town was colorful – a few streets, stores, a park, a town hall, and a library – but there was no hustle, no sector police, no wondering if there was a gang of people wanting to string him up for being different. Okay, there could be, but at least they weren't so vocal about it as the crowds that occasionally threw stuff in the direction of Terminal City.

Watching the people go about their business made him realize how many people weren't touched by the world of transgenics and familiars that he had spent his life in. Thinking about it, Alec thought he was going to enjoy the break.

He pulled out his cell. He'd been away from Terminal City for a couple of days, and he'd promised Joshua that he'd call just to tell the big guy that he was okay. It had taken him about fifteen minutes to get out of the big fella's hug when it had been time for him to actually go, and he wasn't going to go into what Sketchy and Normal did. You'd think he'd died or something, for crying out loud, he was just going out of state.

He had found a bench, watching the ordinaries walk about the place as he waited for someone to pick up on the number he had dialled.

"Hello," he said when finally someone picked up.

"Alec?" Joshua replied. "You called?"

"Sure, big fella, said I would, didn't I?"

"You find them? We were worried you wouldn't."

Alec smiled, imagining Joshua bothering the hell out of Max about the fact he hadn't called to check in. "Yeah, found them. John's doing okay and said to say hello to you guys."

"Tell him hello from us. Did you meet the rest? Did Alec find family?" Joshua asked.

"Got a little brother and sister, Josh," Alec said. "She's not too sure, but I'm sure I can win her around. As for him, he's a cool kid; you know – ordinary – no training, no barcode, just a kid."

"Really?" Joshua asked.

"Yeah, got that thing going on, you know the Down's, but it's weird, like when I was his age I was coming to the end of basic training."

"Bad days."

"I know, Joshua," Alec said. "Met my step mom too."

"Step mom?" Joshua asked.

"Yeah, funny that I've got a step mother, who'd have thought it," Alec said.

"Little fella here, do you want to say hello?" Joshua asked.

"Yeah, put her on, suppose I should say hello, wouldn't want her to think something wasn't about her."

"Suppose you should say hello?" Max asked, obviously having heard his comment. Joshua hadn't waited for Alec's reply about wanting to talk to Max, just assumed that Alec would want to talk to her.

"Hey, Max, managed to keep the place standing in my absence?" Alec asked.

He could hear Max tut. "Oh, we've been in mourning since your bike pulled out, place has just ground to a halt."

"Glad to see that you have finally worked out what I truly mean to the place," Alec said, smirking.

"Oh yes, Alec, you are the man," Max said sarcastically.

"Don't forget it, Maxie," Alec said, grinning.

"I'm surprised you could get yourself there in one piece," Max replied. "You pissed anyone off yet?"

"Max, I'm hurt you even could think that I could do that."

"Alec, have you met you?" Max asked. "Have you actually listened to what comes out of your mouth sometimes? Seriously, how are you getting on with them?"

"Yeah, feeling the concern, Max," Alec replied.

"Alec, will you quit the shit here, I'm asking."

He sighed. "I got in last night as I told Josh, met them; they were a little wigged with me turning up on their doorstep."

"You didn't call ahead, did you?"

"No, I didn't, okay? Don't get so worked up," Alec replied, waiting for her to chew his ass out about it.

"Alec, what were you trained to do? Plan ahead, think things through, go through all the options before making a move; besides, turning up unannounced is plain rude."

"Yeah, so?" Alec said, waiting for her to finish, so she could get it out of her system and then she could feel superior to him; it wasn't much, but he'd been gone for a while, and she needed something to get her through the day.

"You didn't think that someone who looked exactly likes their long lost son turning up on their doorstep without warning might freak them out a little, even?"

He bit his nail; she was only beginning, and he knew better than to interrupt her.

"Jesus, Alec, what were you thinking – no, scratch that, you don't think do you? I'm all for you going out and spending time with them. When you said you were going to go, I thought it would do you good, but that doesn't mean that you get to act like an idiot, Alec."

"Yeah, sure." He wasn't really listening; she had a couple more idiots and at least one moron to get through before she was done.

He nodded politely to an old couple who walked by as Max continued on the phone.

"…you can be a real moron, you know that?" Max said, to which Alec nodded, guessing it was almost time for him to join the conversation. "So, what are they like?"

"Well, as I told Joshua, John's fine, says hello. Billy is kind of cool, Molly's a bit unsure but I guess that is to be expected, and Ellen is okay, I suppose," Alec said. "She wasn't what I was expecting."

"What do you mean?" Max asked.

"Well, I don't know what I thought she'd be like, but to be honest she is more like you than anything else or how you'll probably be in twenty years."

"Like me?"

"Yeah, like you – but she's got tough girl or in her case tough lady act down to a fine art, you know, gave me a set of ground rules, and then told me basically that if I caused any trouble then she'd be the one to deal with me."

"So, just met you and already got your number, then?" Max asked. He could guess that she was smiling on the other end of the phone. "I like the woman already."

"Yeah, well, we'll see how things go," Alec replied. "You know, the place isn't like I thought."

"What did you think?" Max asked, sighing.

"Well, it's like normal really – I guess I kind of thought it'd be like a shrine to them or something," Alec said.

"They lost them years ago and sure, obviously they want to know what happened to them, but John didn't seem like the type to sit back and just wait for things to happen. I don't think that they expect you to take what's–his-names place, you know."

"Dean. I know that," Alec replied.

"Is this why you put this off so long?" Max asked. "If you're not sure, you know you can pull out of there and no-one will think anything less of you."

"Nah, Max, I'm fine," Alec said.

"I know, you always are," Max replied.

"It's just that Ellen made a big deal out me staying out of people's business and then they'll stay out of mine," Alec said. "It's like they're hiding something."

"Oh, let me see, small town not near Seattle, could it possibly be that they are trying to stop their neighbors from noticing that they've got a real life mutant walking among them?"

"What?" Alec said.

"How do you actually function without someone helping you?" Max asked. "Think about it, you paying them a visit is one thing, you creating a big stink in the middle of town is going to draw the attention of a bunch of people who may not be so understanding as the folks back here."

"Yeah, real understanding," Alec replied, thinking of some of the ordinaries that still campaigned for the removal of the transgenics. "Okay, I get it, the less I draw attention to myself the less likely the pitchfork and torch brigade turn up on John and Ellen's doorstep."

"Bingo."

Alec sighed. He was sure that wasn't just it. "Look, Max, I'm going to blaze, I want to check this place out, and I promised I'd be back for Billy getting back from school."

"Sure, let us know how things go," Max said. "Alec?"

"Yeah, Max?" Alec replied.

"Be safe."

Alec grinned. "Always, Max."

* * *

He was looking for a place for something to eat when he passed it; he wasn't sure, but the glint off the chrome and the shining black paint seemed familiar somehow. Alec spent a few minutes looking at it before he took the photo out of his back pocket. It was a little worse for wear – compared to the condition it was in when he was given it. Probably because he had spent more than a few hours staring at it, as had many of the others back at Terminal City. Wondering what they were like, wondering what their, or more importantly, his life was like, and how much of that man lived inside their friend.

Alec stood there, looking at it, comparing the large black car in front of him to the one in the picture he had in his hands, the one that was in the background of two kids horsing around, before turning around to go into the diner.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, slightly annoyed at his presence.

"Thought I'd get lunch and this seems to be the best place in town," Alec replied. "Actually, it seems like the only place in town."

"There's another diner down the street," Molly said, correcting his statement.

"Okay, truth is I am hungry, but I saw the car outside and I was curious. Didn't really expect to find you here."

"Really?" Molly said. "You're not stalking me, then?"

"Have I done something?" Alec asked as he sat down. "Because it usually takes a little longer for people to find me annoying."

"People find you annoying?" Molly said sarcastically.

Alec shrugged. "Personally, I think I'm adorable, but you can't please everybody."

Molly gave a little laugh. "Sorry, it isn't you; I've got some other stuff going on."

"Like what?" Alec asked.

Molly shook her head. "It's nothing."

"Hey, I'm used to being everybody's whipping boy," Alec replied. "You know, if you hit me round the head I'll feel right at home."

"You usually so 'chatty'?" Molly asked.

"I've been known to be quiet from time to time – but I've been told that's when I'm usually asleep," answered Alec. "You meeting people?"

"Just some friends; the usual 'meeting for a bite before getting back to work'." Molly knotted her brow. "Are you hiding from something, or what?"

"Nope, not from anything in particular. Why?"

"Just that you've known about us for ages, and now you decided to come and visit. So, I'm wondering, are you on the run? Do we have to worry about men in black storming in here to drag you off?"

"You are a real trusting kind of gal, aren't you?"

Molly straightened. "I'm a Winchester; I like to cover my base."

"Is that a big thing in this family?"

Molly didn't answer his question. "My mom and dad have had a long time to grieve over the other three, but they've never gotten over it, never really will."

"Losing your kids, I can understand that," Alec replied.

"And Billy, his condition is hard on them sometimes, he tries real hard but he still has problems with things," Molly continued.

"Thought he was main–streamed or something?" Alec asked, to which she nodded.

"He is, but he has to take his time on some things, but makes up his mind real quick about others."

"Right," Alec said, not sure why this was important.

"Billy's heart isn't too good, but, he'll open it up to anybody who spends time with him, so it hits him hard when people let him down."

"Is this where you threaten me again if I hurt them?" Alec asked. "I think Ellen did that this morning."

Molly smiled. "Mom's got a tough exterior."

"Let me guess, a pussy cat really?"

"You'd know, wouldn't you?"

Alec smiled. "You've been doing some reading, haven't you?"

"I work in what passes for a library in this excuse for a town, what do you think I do?"

Alec sat forward. "And John?"

"Dad's… best way I can explain him, is that he's tough, had to be, and he can get a little one track minded at times about some stuff, but my Mom knows how to keep in check. Truth be told, he shouldn't be here today, but he is, and he's had to accept it; if it was up to him probably wouldn't be if it meant that Sam and Dean and Jo were still here."

Alec was confused. "What happened – he just said they disappeared and that you were hurt."

"Just that – they disappeared, I was hurt," Molly said. "Both of me and Dad spent time in hospital."

"And you've got no idea what happened to them?" Alec said.

Molly shrugged. "Ideas were never the problem; we've all had ideas over the years about what happened, just never had any real proof."

"Right." Alec looked away. Coming here might have not been the best idea.

Molly sighed. "If you're worried about Dad comparing you to Dean, then don't be. Dad's not expecting you to fill his shoes. Sure, you look like him, but he's not going to expect you to become Dean. Anyway, Mom wouldn't let him."

"What were they like?" Alec asked.

Molly shrugged. "I don't really remember, they disappeared when I was a real young – but I heard the stories from Mom, Dad, Ash, and some of the others in the bar. Jo was headstrong, pretty, tended to think with her heart rather than her head most of the time. She jumped before she looked, really wanted to make her mark but not sure how. Sam, was clever, always thinking, always full of surprises."

"The brains of the operation then?"

"Kind of, not that Dean was stupid or anything, it was that he was a more of, a deal what was in front of him type of guy, and Sam…"

"Planned ahead."

"Yeah," Molly nodded, "Sam, even though he liked to think his way out of things, he could handle himself pretty well, but it took a hell of a lot to get him riled. Only people who could really get under his skin were Dad and Dean, unless you called him Sammy – nobody called him that apart from Dean and Dad. – Mom says that even though Sam sometimes had to be careful about not banging his head of the ceiling he had this puppy dog look to him; you know the type."

Alec smiled, thinking of Joshua. "Yeah, think I do"

"Dean, from what I've been told, was cocky, sarcastic, could be as arrogant as hell. He'd have a different girl each night of the week if he could, actually two or three if he had the time, and could come across as the most unreliable bastard on planet earth. But he wasn't when it came down to it – because if you needed him too – he'd be willing to get down on his belly and crawl over broken glass with his fly unzipped. And God help anyone who messed with Sam because Dean was more of a mother hen when it came to him than a brother."

"Good guy, then?"

Molly nodded. "Wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him and Sam. A lot of people wouldn't be."

"Really?" Alec asked, unsure why she had said that, though she didn't reply to the question, causing them to sit there for a second in silence before Alec spoke again, "You said Ash – he's your computer friend?"

"Yeah, the one that saved your ass. How is 'Eyes Only'?"

Alec smirked. "So much for the secret identity, he's fine by the way."

"Well, Ash is into everything these days," Molly replied. "As for the secret identity, we can keep our mouths shut."

"That's comforting – I was kind of worried that I'd have to worry about the locals putting together a 'friendly welcoming' lynch mob if you guys didn't like me."

Molly smiled. "If Dad thought you were a monster, you wouldn't be having this conversation, and you wouldn't have to worry about any lynch mob."

Alec was taken aback for a second. "What does that mean?"

She grinned. "You stick around and you'll find out."

He sat there, unsure how to take that comment, as three other girls came into the diner.

"Hey, Moll, sorry we're late, but you know the boss – complete bitch wouldn't let us away on time." One of the girls said, "Who's your friend?"

Molly turned to her friends. "Geraldine, Lizzy, Cel, this is Alec."

"Nice to meet you," Alec said with a wave of his hand.

"He's staying at my place for a while."

"Really?" Geraldine asked, her interest peaked. "You staying at the Roadhouse, then, Alec?"

Alec shrugged. "Don't know yet."

"No, he's staying at the house," Molly said, causing her three friends to look at her – no-one spent the night at the Winchester house. Most of Molly's friends just put it down to the fact that Molly's parents were older than most, not wanting the hassle of dealing with a load of children or teenagers if they didn't have to. And their home was near that old bar and many of their parents wouldn't want their children to spend time near it as most of its clientele weren't exactly savory.

Molly saw the look on their faces. "He's my…nephew?"

"Nephew?" Alec was confused for a second, but he decided to play along. "Yeah, I'm Molly's nephew. Decided to pay Grandma and Grandpa a visit for a while."

"Nephew? When did this happen?" Lizzy asked.

"Alec lives in Seattle, he's…my dad's grandson," Molly replied. "Remember I told you guys about it?"

"Sure, sure you did," Geraldine said, sitting down beside Molly.

"Yeah, I did – my dad went to Seattle last year, remember?" Molly said to her friends, while gesturing over to Alec.

Alec decided, as everybody was looking at him, that it would probably be best to make a move. "Nice to meet you guys."

"You don't have to go on our account," Geraldine said.

"It's okay, never know, I might see you guys around," Alec said, turning to Molly. "See you back at Grandpa's, Auntie Moll?"

She clenched her jaw. "Sure. You be able to get back in time for supper?"

Alec got up from the table. "I'll be fine, don't need anyone to hold my hand crossing the road."

"That's good," Molly retorted as her friends watched as he left.

Alec looked in the window of the diner as the girls chatted away. He wondered what exactly Molly had meant when she had said that if John thought he was a monster that he wouldn't be having a conversation.

* * *

Molly parked the Impala outside the house. She had cracked the back axle the week before when she had been on an emergency supply run for a couple of regulars at the bar. Which, to be honest, had topped off her week, considering she was hitting a dead end on one of the cases she had been researching, along with the fact that her boss was on her back about the time she was spending in the newspaper archives at work.

Her father had done his nut about the car, though, and had been less than happy that she couldn't fix it herself. This had meant that the car had been sitting in the town garage as she waited for it to get repaired. The last thing she needed was dealing with this transgenic turning up, especially as she was missing Kenny, who wasn't due back in the area for another week.

She could see Alec's bike sitting outside the house as she got out of the car alongside her dad's pick-up truck.

As she entered the house, she could hear Billy in the back; sounded as if he and Alec were playing. She found her parents in the kitchen, drinking coffee.

"So, we're grandparents, are we?" John asked, with a smirk on his face and coffee cup in hand.

Molly cringed. "It was the first thing that popped into my head."

"Really?" Ellen turned her head to look at her daughter.

"They asked who he was, and as he was staying at the house, I had to say something."

John nodded. "I suppose."

"He didn't have to play along," Molly protested.

"What did you expect him to do?" John asked.

"I don't know," Molly replied.

Ellen turned to John. "I went to bed a mom and woke up a grandmother to a clone in his twenties. What happened?"

John gave a little laugh at his wife's comment. "Got no idea."

"Well, in a way I suppose you could think that he is, couldn't you?" Molly argued. "He was made from a piece of Dean."

"Molly, it's fine, probably works out better this way," Ellen said, trying to calm her daughter. "This way we don't have to explain anything – we just tell people that he's Dean's boy, and then there's less awkward questions."

"Right," Molly said. "And he's fine with that?"

"Alec's fine with it," John replied. "Though your mother got him to swear that he wouldn't call her Grandma."

Molly chuckled. "Right."

"I'm sure as hell not ready for that, yet," Ellen said. "And definitely not from someone his age."

* * *

The next night Alec took a deep breath as he took a step into the Roadhouse – he'd hadn't actually been in the place since he arrived, spending the past couple of nights entertaining Billy as the others took their turns working in the bar.

Usually he would just swagger into the place, blasé, not caring what people thought, but this was more in keeping with his Manticore days; he had a part to play – not that it was a difficult one. He had agreed with Ellen that it would be easier for all them all if he just became Dean Winchester's long lost son.

However, it had taken a little while for Billy to understand why they were going to do it that way; though, when he did get it, he liked the idea he was getting to play at being someone's uncle as he wasn't allowed to tell his friends about the cool transgenicy stuff.

Alec knew that he wouldn't have to pretend very hard as he was the about the right age, Dean being born in 1979 and all; it wasn't like he had other family that was going to pop up out of the wings and say he was lying.

If anyone had any questions to ask, the answer would be that John had seen him on the news, came to Seattle to find him, and that the transgenics in Terminal City were his friends – it wasn't like his barcode was showing or anything. From what he had been told, Dean was a barfly, so the idea of the guy leaving a kid behind somewhere wouldn't bat an eye, and no-one would expect Alec to know anything in-depth about him.

John had gone over half an hour before to open up.

He took a step inside and headed toward the bar; it was just like any other of the places he had seen on the side of the road there, mostly truckers and a few locals. Not exactly a high class crowd.

"Here," John said, putting down a beer in front of Alec.

"Thanks," Alec said, getting his wallet out from his back pocket. He didn't want to admit it, but Ellen scared him a little.

John shook his head. "First one on the house, next one and the rest you pay for."

"Okay," Alec replied. "And I don't tell Ellen?"

John grinned. "Damn straight, you don't. Otherwise you'll be sleeping on the floor. I'll be damned if I lose out on the couch as well."

"One mouth shut," Alec grinned, "'Pops'."

He sat there, passing the time, talking to Molly while she collected empties from the tables. One of the bar's patrons walked up to him as John was serving other customers. The middle aged man, who had had a little too much to drink, put a hand on Alec's shoulder.

"So, you're Dean's boy, huh?" the drunk slurred.

Alec nodded. "Sure."

He poked Alec in the chest. "You got big shoes to fill; Sam and Dean were good, real good. Hell of a team, them Winchester boys." He pointed at John. "Don't let that man down."

Alec nodded, politely humoring the drunk.

"Saved my ass, he did. Would be dog chow if it wasn't for him, and that is if I was lucky."

Molly, on noticing the man, walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Mike, think you're done, got a room made up for you in back."

Mike spun around and gave the girl in front of him a hug. "Hey, kiddo, where did you come from?"

"Over there, Mike," she replied, nodding in the direction of the other side of the bar. "Come on, I'll show you where you can sleep it off."

Mike turned to Alec. "You see her, she is an angel, you know that?"

"Right, Mike," Molly replied as she tried to lead Mike away from Alec, who was grinning.

"Regular little Lois Lane, our Molly is; her momma and Ash taught her real well. Half the stuff I got over the past couple of years," Mike hiccupped before pulling Molly closer to him, "got off Moll here. Looks after us, just like her momma does."

"Yeah," Alec said, smiling as Ellen joined them from seemingly nowhere.

"Michael Redwood, if you don't take your hands off my daughter you will find out how well I can take of things."

The drunk tried to stand up straight. "Yes, ma'am."

"Take it you've paid for the night?"

The drunk nodded his reply.

"Then go sleep it off. Before you make an ass of yourself," Ellen said, causing the man to turn around and wander off in the direction of the backrooms.

He turned around again and pointed in Alec's direction. "You lucked out, kid, they'll look after you, protect you until you can look after yourself."

Ellen just shook head as the man wandered away.

"Molly?" Ellen said, looking at her daughter.

"Yes, Mom," Molly replied, going back to her job.

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Until I can look after myself?"

"Don't take any notice of Mike," Ellen said. "He just needs to sleep it off."

"Right," Alec said, nodding. He couldn't help but notice that Molly was having a word with John while she handing him a tray of empties.

* * *

Alec almost fell off the couch when his phone went off.

"Yeah," he said groggily after finding his ringing cell.

"Hi, Alec," Logan said. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"What time is it?" Alec asked rubbing his eyes.

"About one a.m. here, why?"

"Right, what time is it where I am?"

"Alec, you didn't leave me a message to call you to ask what the time where you are is," Logan retorted.

"Yeah, sure, can you give me a sec?" Alec replied.

"Sure, it's not like I have anything better to do."

"Getting you," Alec said coming to from his slumber. "You didn't have to call me straight back, you know."

"You call, saying you needed something and not to tell Max – of course I'm going to call you back as soon as possible."

"You know, when you say it, it sounds a hell of a lot more dramatic than it is."

"Alec. Do you actually want something, or is it that you just missed needling me? Because if you just wanted someone to talk to, I'm sure you could have called someone else."

"Well, when you put it like that, I really am missing you," Alec said sarcastically, to which he was sure he could picture Logan rolling his eyes.

"Alec, I have things to do."

Alec smirked. "Like what, Logan?"

"Alec!"

"Right – I need a favor, a 'don't tell Max' type of favor."

"Yes, you said," Logan replied. "What is it?"

"I got a feeling that something is going on here."

"Alec, we've been through this," Logan said. "Before you left, you got me to check – I know the grave desecration charges were weird, but you know the pulse wiped most of their records, so without putting it into context I don't know what to tell you."

"Yeah, but it's just things people are saying here."

"Like what?"

"Stuff like I have big shoes to fill, that I have to keep my nose out of stuff. People start conversations, and then when I walk into the room, they stop talking. Books and other stuff have gone missing since I got here," Alec said.

"Isn't it possible that they are getting used to having a weapons grade military project in their midst?"

"That's what Max said. But they are keeping quiet about something, even the kid. It's like they have got some big family secret, and it isn't me."

"Right, you want me to do some more digging?" Logan sighed.

"If you could?"

"I'll try, but we've looked into John and his sons, and he was honest about the fact that they weren't squeaky clean. Most of the things I could find were a few assaults, which look like bar fights, and possible links to mail fraud – there wasn't anything major I could find apart from the only really strange stuff."

"The grave desecrations. I know, but what about looking into Ellen or their daughter Molly?"

"Why?"

"There was this guy in the bar tonight, called Molly a regular little Lois Lane, said that her momma trained her. So, I'm thinking that it's maybe Ellen that's the one that has something to hide. Also, Molly said something about how she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Sam and Dean."

"You want me to find out about Ellen Winchester?"

"Yeah, or Harvelle, that was her first husband's name – Bill Harvelle."

"Like I don't have enough to do."

"Like what?"

Logan was silent for a few seconds. Max had been adamant that Alec was not to know, but the food supply lines into Terminal City had gone a little screwy since he'd left. She hadn't wanted to tell him that the contacts that he had left them with weren't happy with dealing with anyone other than Alec.

It was just teething problems, the suppliers would come around once they realized that this new situation wasn't going to change – well, as long as Alec didn't know about it. Last thing Max wanted was Alec blowing his visit on their account. The whole idea of one of them having a real human family, that was actually really related to them, had meant so much to the transgenics. Not that anybody wanted to say it out loud.

"Nothing – you know what this place is like," Logan replied.

"Logan, you sure?"

"Yes, Alec, we can cope without you," Logan said.

"Of course you can."

"Alec, are you sure that you aren't looking for an excuse to screw this up?"

"No, why would I do that?"

"Alec, take a breath and go with it. Stop looking for things that aren't there."

"How do you know they're not hiding things?"

Logan sighed. "Okay, if I check, will you let yourself get to know them?"

"Okay."

"Right. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Logan, can I ask you something?"

"What, Alec?"

"You've got family, right? A mom, dad, you know."

"Yes, Alec, I had a family."

"Did yours ever hide stuff from you?"

Logan swallowed. The Cale house wasn't exactly the most open one. "Alec, they aren't Manticore, this is as new for them as it is for you."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yes, Alec, they hid things from me."

"And?"

"Didn't make it right, but at the time they did it to protect me."

"Protect you? Isn't that just a bullshit excuse for not wanting to deal with it?"

"Probably, but at the time it made sense to them."

"Right."

"Alec, if I find something I'll let you know, all right?"

"Thanks, Logan."

* * *

So after all that - hope everybody has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- Please see previous chapter.

Sorry this took longer than expected to get this up. Hope you like it and this makes sense, if it doesn't please let me know.

* * *

As time passed, Alec took Logan's advice, slowly getting to know the people he was staying with, helping behind the bar, taking Billy to school, and going with him to his doctor's appointments when the boy asked him to go. After a couple of weeks, Ellen was anxious to get her living room back from the six foot lump that seemed to have decided to stick around for a while, causing Alec, Billy and John to spend the afternoon cleaning out the small room in the back of the house.

There was supposed to be a bed in there, somewhere. But it had last been seen in 2015, before the room had begun to be used a repository for broken toys, old clothes, furniture that needed fixing, and bar receipts, as well as almost every conceivable item of junk that in a normal house would be found resting in the garage or attic. Not that anything that didn't have a specific purpose found its way anywhere within a fifty foot radius of the Winchester garage.

"ALEC!" Molly screamed as she came into the house, throwing down her bag at the doorway.

He stuck his head out of the room. "What?"

"Don't what me!" Molly said.

"Excuse me?" Alec asked, unsure what she was talking about.

She tapped her foot. "You know fine well what you did."

John smiled as he listened to the two of them argue.

"All afternoon I had to deal with him and it is all your fault."

"Who?"

"Frank!"

"Who's Frank?" Alec asked, trying to think of the people he had met since he had gotten there.

"Frank! Tall guy, likes to cook, a little quiet but real nice when you get to know him," Molly explained.

John laughed as he headed for the kitchen, where Ellen was currently cleaning some bedding for them to use in the little bedroom. He turned to the two of them on his way past. "The love of little Geraldine's life."

Alec turned to look in the John's direction before turning back to Molly who at that moment looked as if smoke was about to come out of her ears. "AAhhhh. She never said."

"Did you think to ask?" Molly said, hand on her hip.

He shrugged. "Not really."

"Alec!" she said.

"What? She's an adult and I didn't know!"

Molly picked up a cushion and threw it at him. "I spent all afternoon dealing with the poor guy."

"Why did you have to deal with him? Isn't it her problem?" Alec asked.

"No, it is yours," Molly said. "Do something."

"Right, I'll talk to her."

"Good," she said, spinning on her heel and walking away. "And then stay away from my friends."

"What happens if they offer to buy me coffee?" he asked with a grin on his face.

"Alec, don't, don't you dare!" Molly said, turning to look at him.

"Are you going to give me a list of the people round here I'm allowed to talk to, or am I supposed to guess?" Alec asked, enjoying the fact that she was getting more and more riled.

"Stay away from my friends, especially the ones with boyfriends, or I'll…"

"What, Moll? You'll do what?" Alec asked, blurring over and tickling her.

"Stop that, stop that now," Molly said, squirming.

"What will you do, Molly?" Alec said as Billy came in to see what they were doing.

"What are you doing?" Billy asked, causing Molly to make a grab for him.

"Stop it!" Billy yelled as his sister got a hold of him, pulling him into the struggle. "Mom!"

Ellen stood in the doorway, watching the three of them carry on in her living room. John wrapped his arms around her as they watched Molly and Alec gang up on their little brother.

"You okay?"

Ellen nodded. "Just watching."

"Yeah," John replied as Billy seemed to get away for a second, before being pulled back into the tickling match.

"It's missing something," Ellen said, her heart slightly heavy. "Some other people."

"I know," John said, kissing her on top of her head. "I know."

* * *

"Shh! You'll wake them!" she said as he stuck his head in the window. "And you have got to start coming in the front door."

"Yeah, I can see that going down well," he replied.

She smiled. "They are going to have to get used to it."

"I doubt it," he said. He kissed her deep, wrapping his large hand around the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair, before attempting to climb in her window. "Can I come in?"

She pushed him back. "You have a death wish or something?"

"Why can't you move into town? What about that little place you were talking about? Then I could come over all the time."

She frowned. "Staying here saves money, and I can help out with the bar when Mom needs to stay home with Billy. Anyway, I can't move out right now."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Molly, you don't have to put your life on hold just because this guy turns up, and I thought you said that he was okay; unless there is something else going on you aren't telling me?"

"Kenny," Molly protested. It had been discussed, no one outside the family was to know about Alec's non-human side, but that wasn't the whole reason that Molly was sticking close to home right now. "I want to make sure that he isn't going to take them for a ride."

"Take your mom and dad for a ride?" Kenny replied incredulously. "If he does, then God help him."

"Kenny, I don't want them to get hurt."

He smiled, kissing her again. "You are too good sometimes, you know that? You really deserve to be rewarded."

She pushed him back. "You are still not coming in."

"Come on, I'll be in and out, they'll never know I was here."

She kept him at arm's length. "You know how to make a girl feel wanted."

His shoulders fell. "Molly, you're killing me here."

"Kenny, I don't care."

"You know, you are real sexy when you are determined."

"Try all you want, you are not getting in here tonight."

"Tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Is that all you want?" she asked.

"No, world peace, and death to all things that go bump in the night." He grinned; she pulled him close, kissing him again.

He was still grinning as he came up for air. "I knew there was a reason I fell for you all those years ago."

"Ken, all those years ago would have been illegal."

"You were the one that chased me, remember, and I was good, wasn't I? Waited until you were out of pigtails. Actually, if you want to put those back in, I'd be all up for that."

"Kenny!"

"If you won't let me in, why don't you come over to the Roadhouse, then?" he asked. "I can leave my window open."

The light at the back of the house flicked on, startling the couple.

"Kenneth Gregory, the only reason I don't shoot you is that your father was a friend of mine," John said, pointedly laying the shotgun he was carrying over his shoulder.

Ken stumbled back from the window. "Mr Winchester, sir. Good to see you again."

"You're leaving, Ken. Now," John said flatly

"DAD!" Molly said, her head sticking out of the window.

John turned his head to look at his daughter. "You get back inside that room, young lady."

She hung in the window for a second.

"Molly," John said through clenched teeth.

She resigned herself to losing another argument over this subject. "Yes, sir."

"I can explain," Ken said to the man wielding the large gun, who happened to be the father of his girlfriend.

"Don't bother, time for you to go," John said, turning. "You two are damn lucky it wasn't her mother that caught you this time."

"I'm not going anywhere."

John sighed before turning back to face the young hunter. "Yes, you are. You are going to march your butt back to your room and you are going to stay there, and she is staying here."

"She is old enough to make her own decisions."

"Not where you are concerned," John said calmly. "She just doesn't know it yet."

"Yes, she does."

"Listen, you come round here with your stories, turning her head since she was fifteen. Just because you thought that you could get somewhere when she was a little older doesn't mean that you get points with me."

Kenny drew himself up to his full height. "What do I have to do to win with you?"

"Go away! She deserves better."

"It's up to her to decide what she deserves."

"You are a cocky little shit; bust a couple here and there, but you got no real idea."

"I've been in the game for as long as I can remember."

"No, you ain't. Your dad was right about you; you are a liability out there, and I'm not having you drag her into it."

"Like it or not, John, I'm sticking around, and there isn't anything you can do to change it."

John took the gun off his shoulder. "Do you want to test that theory right now?"

Ken swallowed, before turning and heading back to the Roadhouse.

Molly stood in the kitchen waiting for her father to come back into the house.

"You didn't have to do that," she said as John put the gun away.

He didn't look at her. "Yes, I did."

"What have you and Mom got against him?"

"He's no good."

"Why?" Molly asked. "He's good enough for you to take his money when he comes to the Roadhouse."

John turned. "You know what I mean."

"So, you'll take his money, but he can't go out with me?"

"Girl, we've had this discussion before," John said quietly.

"And we'll have it again and again and again until you accept him," Molly said. "I am not going to change my mind on this."

"You're too young to say that."

"I'm nineteen, Dad."

"Yes, you are, but that doesn't change things."

"Why?"

John sighed. "Molly, I've seen his type before, twist your head up and then he'll leave you high and dry."

"He's not like that."

"Like hell he's not," John said. "He's older than you are, and he damn well knows how to get what he wants from a girl."

"He's twenty-five, Dad, not exactly ready to collect his pension."

"Six years or sixty doesn't matter when someone starts sniffing around my teenage daughter – because that is what you are – and it's a hell of a big age gap."

"We are not going through this again are we?" Molly asked. "He never thought of me like that until last year."

"Convenient that you had turned legal, wasn't it?" John retorted. "Not like he'd been hanging around, thinking about it before that."

"Dad, please. Kenny isn't like that."

"If he was any good, he'd be coming to the front door of this house to say he was taking you out, not trying to climb in your window after the sun goes down," John said bluntly. "What do you think that says about what he really thinks of you?"

"He only does that because every time he's tried it you and Mom have made it perfectly clear he is never going to be welcome in this house."

"He's dangerous, Molly. He'll be lucky to make it 'til he's thirty – he'll be damn lucky if he doesn't take someone else with him. I'm not having that be you," John resisted the urge to bring his fist down onto the table, "and I am not having you be another notch on that idiot's bedpost."

"I am not!" Molly spat out. "You have got to let me make my own choices, Dad. You were in the marines at my age; you let Sam and Dean go hunting at that age. Christ, Dad, Mom was married at my age."

"Is that what you really want?" John asked. "Fine, find someone decent, as I'm not going to sit here and have you married and pregnant to an idiot that ain't fit to lick Bill Harvelle's boots."

"Not like you're ever going to have to worry about the pregnancy part! And we all know whose fault it is that I can't."

"Molly," John replied, knowing that Molly had been getting more and more bitter lately about the fact that she had been told she couldn't have children, thanks to what had gone down the night the boys and Jo had disappeared.

She turned and left to go to back to her room, brushing past her mother who had come to see what was happening. John sighed, running his hand over his face.

"You get rid of him?" Ellen asked. John nodded.

Ellen turned her head to glance in the direction of her daughter's bedroom. "She'll come round. She'll realize that we're right about him."

"I don't know. The more we tell her, the more she digs her heels in," John replied.

"Yeah, I know."

"I'll kick him out in the morning," John said.

"Maybe we shouldn't?" Ellen said, pulling out a chair to sit down.

"What?" John replied, slightly stunned.

"Keeping them apart hasn't worked," Ellen reasoned. "Maybe if she spends more time with him, she'll see what he's really like."

"Or she'll run off with him."

"If we keep going on like this, she's going to anyway, and then where will we be?" Ellen said. "I can't go through losing another daughter, John."

"I know," John said.

"As it is, and I never thought I'd hear myself saying this, but I'm glad she can't have kids, at least she won't get tied to him that way."

Molly lay on her bed, crying, trying to work out why her parents hated her boyfriend, when she heard a knock on the door.

"Moll, you okay?" Alec asked, sticking his head around her door.

She sat up, drying her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Sure you are," Alec said, "Can I come in?"

She nodded, and he moved to sit down beside her. As he sat down, she started crying again.

"Hey, is it that bad?" he asked, giving her a little hug.

She shrugged. "I don't know. They don't want to give him a chance."

"They're just being parents – I think."

"What?" she asked.

"They are doing the overprotective thing, want what's best for you."

"Doesn't feel like that. I don't know what I can do to get through to them that he cares about me."

Alec shrugged. "As every parent's worst nightmare, I wouldn't know what to tell you."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, slightly confused.

Alec's lip curled into a wry smile. "Seriously, how do you think that whole speech would go? Me and any ordinary girl? She'd say 'Well, Dad, he's very nice, and he spent his formative years being schooled in various forms of combat and weaponry, then he was sent out on covert government missions, probably has a number of groups who want to see him dead. Oh, and he was constructed by men in white coats in a laboratory from stolen DNA.'"

She laughed a little.

"See, and you think you've got it bad, at least your friend doesn't have that part to worry about," Alec said.

"I suppose I should count myself lucky."

"Damn right you should," Alec replied.

"Relationships suck."

"Damn straight they do." Alec nodded. "I'm planning to stick to the casual sex thing, I'm good at that."

"Yeah, Gerry told me."

"Really?" Alec asked. "What did she say?"

"You are gross, you know that?"

"Why do people say that? I'm just curious, and how else am I going to improve unless I get feedback to work on?" Alec said with a grin on his face.

She pushed him playfully.

He got up to go back to his room. "And for the record, if I had known she had a boyfriend I wouldn't have gone near her."

"Alec," Molly said, causing Alec to turn his head. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. That's what family is for, isn't it?"

* * *

Alec was restocking the bar while Ellen was working the office. He was enjoying the lack of responsibility he had here; it was a nice change from the work he had been doing in Terminal City, though he was missing the others something fierce. Joshua had a show soon – and it would be the first one that Alec would miss.

"You must be Alec?" a young man asked, coming into the bar from the back.

Alec stopped what he was doing. "Yeah, and you are?"

"Ken."

"Moll's Kenny?"

The other man nodded as Alec weighed him up. He was over six foot, in good shape, and looked as if he could handle himself; all in all, Alec could understand why Molly would find the guy attractive. However, he could also see that the guy knew it, which was probably why John and Ellen didn't like the guy.

"Pleased to meet you," Alec said, offering a hand. Kenny shook it.

"Molly said you're staying at the house. How are you settling in?"

Alec nodded. "Fine, finally off the couch."

Ken pulled up a stool. "Really?"

"You sound surprised."

"They aren't usually that open with people."

Alec sighed. "I'm not the one dating their daughter."

Kenny smiled. "I suppose that's true."

"Anyway, I'm not saying it has been easy," Alec replied. "Pop isn't always the easiest person to read."

"Easy for me – doesn't like me."

"As I said, that is probably to do with the fact that you are going out with his daughter," said Alec.

Ellen walked through the door to see the two men in front of her. "Ken, you have everything you need?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs Winchester," Ken replied, a little surprised. Ellen nodded her acknowledgement before she walked out the Roadhouse.

"You okay?" Alec asked.

"I think so," Ken said, staring in the direction that Ellen had went. He turned to Alec. "Is Ellen…"

"Think they said something this morning about trying to get along," Alec said to the other man.

"Really?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah, but I'm guessing you feel the same way as me about Ellen."

"What is that?"

"She scares the shit out of me."

Ken nodded. "Agree with you there."

* * *

Ken left the day later, promising Molly that he'd be back as soon as he could. A few weeks passed, and although he was settling in, Alec still felt that they were hiding something, especially when the customers in the bar would huddle and talk.

At first, he thought it was a smuggling operation as John would disappear down to the basement at odd hours, though Alec hadn't the heart to pick the lock that John had put on the door and take a look around. But, he had never seen any cash changing hands, apart from what was expected for drinks; although, he could have sworn that files were handed over from time to time.

What he could say for sure was that the people he met there were a little too gun happy for his liking. Not that he heard anything that meant that they were dangerous, or organized, seeing how the only thing that he could see that this lot agreed on was where the Roadhouse actually was.

He had heard a couple of them talking about hunting; though they would shut up when he was in earshot, or Ellen would get them to change the subject when one or two would ask Alec if John had talked to him about going on a hunt yet.

John got a call from an old buddy from the marines about going on a fishing trip, which meant that he had to go away for a couple of days. That didn't seem to affect anyone else too much, with life in the little family continuing normally, each going about their business until one late Wednesday afternoon. It was a little after one when they had gotten the call from Billy's school to pick him up.

Alec and Ellen had jumped in the car and gotten down there as soon as they could. Molly was already there taking care of her little brother, who had tears in his eyes, not understanding why people where shouting.

"You keep that 'child' away from my daughter," a woman was yelling in the school office.

Ellen bent down beside Billy, wiping the tears from the boy's eyes, and asking what had happened.

"We were playing and then Janey's mom came in and started yelling at me. She said I was to stop, and that I had to get away from Janey, and she was yelling other things too, not nice things."

"What where you playing, Bill?" Ellen asked.

"Tag," Billy replied. "That's all, Mom. I swear, I wasn't doing anything. Janey's mom turned up and started yelling."

"That all?" Molly asked.

"We were playing. I chased her, and the other girls, and I caught her," Billy said. "Then she was supposed to chase me, but she wouldn't, and then she started to laugh, so I pushed her and she fell down and then I fell down."

Ellen closed her eyes, causing Billy to start crying again. "Why does Janey's mom not like me? Did I do anything wrong?"

"No, Billy, you didn't," Ellen said, casting a look in the direction of the thirteen-year-old girl who was sitting next to the office as her mother argued with the principal. "Molly, stay with your brother."

Ellen took a couple of steps toward the girl, who visibly tensed at Ellen's approach.

"You and your friends have your fun?" Ellen said.

"No, ma'am," the girl said.

"You and your friends all have a laugh?" Ellen asked as the door opened and the other woman came out.

The girl looked at the floor as she answered Ellen's question. "We didn't mean anything by it."

"You are blaming her for this?" Janey's mother asked.

"If the shoe fits," Ellen said coldly.

"And where do you get that idea?"

Ellen stared the other woman down.

Janey's mother pulled her daughter to her feet. "You keep that … 'retard' away from my daughter."

Alec grabbed Ellen's arm before she did something she'd regret.

"Ladies, please," said the principal, who had followed Janey's mother out of the office. "Mrs Gillespie, I am certain that if we sit down and talk rationally…"

"Talk rationally? I want that child out of this school. He shouldn't be here anyway, he should be kept away from decent people," Janey's mother said, pointing at Billy.

"What do you mean 'decent people', and who the hell are you to decide who should or shouldn't be anywhere?" Ellen said, still being restrained by Alec. "My son has every right to be here, and he is a damn sight better behaved than your spoiled brat, who thought it was funny to rile him."

"I suppose you can't expect anything better, considering where you are raising him," Janey's mother continued.

"Coming from the likes of you, I'll take that as a compliment," Ellen said through gritted teeth. "You'd better get your narrow-minded, bony ass out of here before I do something I regret."

The woman turned to the school principal. "Are you going to let her talk to me like this?"

"Mrs Gillespie, you were the one who made this an issue. As far as I can tell, it was a case of a group of children playing."

"He had her on the ground."

"They are children, they say they fell," Ellen replied. "If you want to think anything else, then you should be the one people call retarded; unless you got a reason not to trust your own daughter? As it is, you should be happy that there's other people here as I swear to God if there weren't I would put you through that wall."

"Ladies, please," the principal said, hoping to calm the situation. "I think that both children should go home for the rest of the day."

"Fine," Janey's mother hissed at the principal before dragging her daughter down the hall.

"Sorry, Billy," Janey said as she passed the boy.

* * *

The drive home was a quiet one. Billy just sat in the back of the car not sure what had happened. Once they got back into the house, he headed to his room, not wanting to talk to anyone.

"Someone should talk to him," Molly said. "He doesn't understand what happened."

"The woman overreacted, it'll die down," Alec said, heading toward the kitchen. "Billy will be fine."

"Mom," Molly said to Ellen. "Someone has to go and talk to him; he doesn't understand."

"Your brother did nothing wrong!" Ellen said firmly.

"Mom, that is not what I'm saying. Someone needs to explain why she was saying those things to him."

Ellen sat down. "I wish your father was here."

"When is he due back?" Molly asked.

"I don't know, depends when they finish up." Ellen shrugged. "I know you're right; someone has to talk to him."

Both women looked over at the person who wandered out of the kitchen with a glass of water.

"Billy? You receiving visitors?" Alec asked the closed door. It took a second, but the door opened. Alec found himself staring down at a confused face with a large pair of red puffy eyes.

"Got a sandwich for you," Alec said, and the door to opened a little more.

The boy rubbed his face before taking the plate. "Thanks."

Alec wasn't too sure how to play this, not that Ellen and Molly had given him much choice. They were right, someone had to talk to Billy, and it wasn't like he was going to talk to his mother about what had gone down. "Do want to tell me what happened?"

Billy swallowed and shook his head.

"Look, buddy, if you talk about it, maybe it'll get it straight in your head."

Billy hesitated before opening the door a little wider.

* * *

"Hi, Alec," Logan said on the other end of the phone. "How are you?"

"Roller-boy?" Alec said, waking up from his slumber. "You're up early, or haven't you been to bed yet?"

"Just tidying up some things. Thought I'd get this to you, seeing how you asked a while ago."

Alec sat up. "You found something?"

"You're not going to like it," Logan replied.

"What?" Alec swallowed. When he had first asked, Logan had been right, he had wanted a reason to run, but not now; he'd grown to care about these people as much as he did Joshua and Max and everyone else he had left behind.

"It hasn't been easy. I've had computer blocks thrown up every time I get close to something. Nothing obvious – you wouldn't realize that someone was trying to throw you off the trail unless you knew what you were looking at."

"What?"

"Truth is, Alec, this has Ash's fingerprints all over it. If it wasn't for the parking tickets, I wouldn't have been able to put it together."

"Ash, as in 'computer guy' Ash who used to live with them?" Alec asked, confused.

"If you mean, one of the best in the business, yes, that one," Logan explained. "The guy can get into more systems than you can dream of. I've been dealing with him for years, but I never had a name until we met John."

"What has that got to do with Ellen?"

"Right, as she stayed in the same place, unlike John and his sons, I could actually find a history on her. Bill Harvelle, Ellen's first husband, disappeared in 1995, declared dead seven years later, one child: Joanne."

"So?"

"Well, she didn't look for him. She reported him missing to the police, but she didn't do anything else. I can't find anything that suggests she had follow-up visits, or hired private detectives; no ads in papers, nothing."

"Maybe she found out that he had just gone out for milk and ran off with the checkout girl?"

Alec could hear Logan shuffling papers. "No, it doesn't look like that either. There was no activity on the money front; the guy just dropped off the face of the planet, or he ended up in a shallow grave somewhere."

"Logan, Ellen may be many things, but I can't see her killing anyone."

"If she was involved, money definitely wasn't the motive. She spent years keeping that bar afloat."

"What about Molly?" Alec asked.

"Molly Winchester didn't exist until after the pulse."

"That makes sense because John and Ellen didn't get married until after Billy was born," Alec said. "Ellen adopted her a couple of years before that."

"What I'm saying, Alec, is that it wasn't exactly a legal adoption," Logan replied.

"Huh?"

"First 'real' mention of Molly Harvelle was when she was admitted to the ER with acute blood loss and internal haemorrhaging in 2007."

"I knew that; they disappeared, and Molly got hurt," Alec retorted. "She and John ended up in hospital."

"Yes, but I was able to trace it back further than that."

"You were?" Alec asked.

Logan sighed. "Yes, I was, and you could say something, you know, like,_'Jeez, Logan, thanks for going out of your way on this for me._'"

"You got so far and wanted the challenge."

"That too," Logan admitted.

"So what have you got?"

"Molly told you that she wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for the Winchester brothers. So I had an idea."

"An idea?" Alec said, not liking the sound of that.

"Well, official records from before the pulse are sketchy in places as you know, except, bizarrely, in one area."

"Tell me it is in a good way," Alec said, before yawning.

"Sorry to keep you up," Logan said.

"Yeah, yeah. And?"

"You could be wanted for murder and bank robbery pre pulse and walk away clean. Have a few unpaid parking tickets, and you could still be wanted in a number of states."

"The Impala?" Alec asked. "You followed the car?"

"Yes, Alec, I followed the car. Turns out that a few weeks before Molly being admitted to hospital where you are, the car turns up in Georgetown."

"And?" Alec was intrigued, though Logan had fallen silent at this point. "Logan?"

"Right, you sure you want to know this?"

"No, I asked you just to jerk your chain," Alec replied, causing Logan to fall silent again for a few seconds. He finally spoke.

"After the pulse, lots of small papers started to create databases with all their back issues and put them on a number of global servers just in case another pulse happened."

"Logan, tell me what you got, please. I'm not Max; I don't care where you got the information just that you got it."

"I'm telling you this because I want you to know where it came from. The ticket puts the car in the same area as a house fire."

"And?"

"An electrical fire that had two casualties: a mother and daughter."

Alec closed his eyes, hoping that Logan wasn't going to say what he thought he was going to say.

"Their bodies were never found, so it was assumed that they burned up. However, the daughter's name was Molly Watson, and she would be have been three when it happened," Logan said. "That would make her the same age as Molly Winchester."

"You can't be sure, Logan."

"You asked, Alec, and there was something else…"

Alec swallowed. What could be worse than finding out that the person you were modelled on was guilty of kidnapping? "What?"

"I was able to get a list of injuries."

"You already said: blood loss and internal haemorrhaging."

"Not Molly's, Alec, I found John's. It isn't pretty, Alec, the man was badly hurt."

"How bad?"

"According to the records I could find, it sounds as if the man was tortured."

"Tortured?"

"Yes, and it wasn't short term. It looks as if he was worked over for a long period of time. I showed it to Mole."

"You showed it to Mole?" Alec said angrily; this wasn't anyone else's business.

"I wanted to check. Mole said that whoever did it knew what they were doing, and from the description it lasted for at least a year."

* * *

Billy watched as Alec worked the next day. Ellen had kept him home from school for another day seeing how he was still upset from what had happened the day before.

He had waited until his mother had went to work; she'd have said no, that it was still too soon, but he had thought it through and it was time for Alec to know.

The boy went up to Alec after Molly had gone to do something in her room.

"You're going to go away now, aren't you?" Billy asked.

"Why would you say that?" Alec replied. "Is it because of what happened yesterday? I told you, what we talked about was between us."

Billy shook his head. "The phone call you got last night. It woke me up."

Alec sighed. He still hadn't worked out what he was going to do with the information Logan had told him. "Billy, I'm not going planning on blazing anywhere right now. If I was, I'd tell you."

"You were asking questions about Mom, weren't you?"

Alec frowned. "Do you listen by doors?"

Billy looked at the floor. "You were asking about Jo's dad, weren't you? And how Mom got Molly, and what happened to Dad when he went away to that place?"

Alec furrowed his brow. "What place, Bill? Where did Pops go?"

"They said not to tell you. Mom says you're not ready and you've been through enough, but I think Dad thinks that if we tell you, you'll run away."

"Billy, it's okay, as I said, I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Promise?" The young boy bit his lip as he looked up at Alec, to which Alec felt he had no choice but to nod his response. Christ, saying no to Sketchy when he had that hangdog look on his face was hard enough; at least when Joshua did it he had an excuse.

Alec followed Billy down to the basement – the place that John disappeared to when he seemed to want some peace and quiet, the place that Alec had only been in a couple of times and that was just to stick his head down to tell John that Ellen wanted him for something.

"Family rule – you have to swear."

"Swear to what?" Alec replied.

"Winchester rule number one, you have to swear."

"Billy, how can I swear to something when I don't know what it is?" Alec replied, his previous experiences making him wary of saying yes to anything before he knew what it was. He had been burned too many times, and it generally started with Max uttering the words, 'Alec, you got a moment?'

Billy fixed Alec with a stare. "You have to swear to it – we what we do and we shut up about it!"

The boy looked very serious, standing in the gloomy light of the basement. Alec sighed. "Okay, I swear. What do we do?"

Billy nodded, walking over to the bookcase. He pulled out a big old book and handed to Alec; it was cared for but very well used. Alec looked at the embossed mark on the cover that had long ago lost the gold leaf that had been embedded in it. He flicked through the pages.

"Dad's gone to help a friend; I think it wraiths this time."

"I thought it was a fishing trip?" Alec asked.

Billy smiled. "That is right: water wraiths."

Alec looked up from the book as Billy continued, "He doesn't go out as much these days. He's still looking for the one who took Sammy and Dean's mom, but the last time he got close, it was trying to get me, and I was real little, but we had a big dog called Patton and Patton fought it and then it went and hid."

Alec looked confused as Billy went back to the bookcase, sliding the panels apart to reveal what was behind it. Alec swallowed, the blood draining from his face, not liking the sight before him, one he had be in the presence of many times before. Hell, he was the one in charge of setting up the one in Terminal City.

He didn't need to get close to see that the weapons were well oiled and stored correctly; this wasn't a collector's armory, this arsenal was used, but for what Alec could only guess at. Especially as he realized that he recognized a couple of squiggles in that book; squiggles that he had seen on the board at Logan's during the discussions about White, about the cult, about the markings that peppered Max's skin.

"I think that the S-O-B is scared of Dad, it had Dad and Dad escaped, and now it's too frightened to face him," Billy said.

"Right."

"Lots of them are scared of Dad and scared of this place. They know that Dad fights them and so do Mom and Molly because they look for things for the hunters to stop."

Alec narrowed his brow. "What hunters, Billy?"

"The hunters who come here to the Roadhouse. The bad things can't hide from them because Mom and Molly know what to look for, and Ash trained Molly real good so she can find things in the computer, and her and Mom put the cases together and pass them to the hunters," Billy said rapidly. "That's what I want to do when I grow up – I know that I can't go hunt now because I'm too young and too slow, but I'll get bigger, and if I get fast enough then I'll go hunting like Dad, and be like Dean and Sam because they hunted, too."

Alec didn't know what to say as Billy went on, "If you understand, will you go hunting? Because seeing how you are a transgenic, that would mean that you would be really good and fast and they wouldn't know what hit them."

Alec took a breath; none of this was making sense. "Billy, what are you talking about? What does John hunt?"

"Demons," Billy answered in all seriousness.

Alec carefully put down the book and took a step back. What had he been living in the past few weeks? "Demons don't exist, Bill."

Billy shook his head. "No, demons exist; you know that, that is why you fight those snake people. Dad said that there were stupid people that didn't like your kind and that get their orders from a demon."

Alec stilled at that. "The cult? What about the cult? Are you guys' part of it or something?"

"No, we're not," Molly said, causing Alec to spin around as she stood on the basement steps behind them.

"Is this something to do with White?" Alec asked, his defences going into overdrive. "How do I know that this isn't some weird plan or something? How do I know that you guys aren't just biding your time?"

Billy cocked his head to the side. "And I'm the Grand High Pooh-Bah! Stupid, we're Winchesters; we don't worship demons, we send them back to hell!"

"Bill, go get Mom," Molly said, calmly.

"Why?"

Molly crossed her arms as she came down the stairs. "Billy, go get Mom."

"Yes, Moll," the boy said contritely, running up the stairs as his sister crossed the basement floor to close the bookcase.

"And don't think that she isn't going to ground for telling, you know we weren't supposed to until Dad said, let alone what she is going to do to you for picking the lock on Dad's gun cabinet."

Billy stopped and looked at his sister. "But Alec needed to know… and I didn't touch them."

"No buts, Billy, what have you been told? You aren't allowed near them by yourself until Dad says you're safe to handle them, and don't say for a minute we're babying you, it was the same for me. Now go get Mom."

"You guys are nuts," Alec said, backing up as Billy left to go get Ellen. "Demons don't exist."

"This from the clone?" Molly asked, sarcastically.

"Good one! Demons don't exist."

"What did Dad tell you about Mary?" Molly asked.

"His first wife? My 'mother'?" Alec replied. "That she died in a fire. He tried to get to her and he couldn't."

"Yeah, well, it would be pretty hard seeing how she was pinned to the ceiling."

Alec looked at the girl. "Things like that don't happen."

"Right, they don't, and people don't see spirits, and children always drown in two inches of water, and campers just go missing in the woods," Molly said, taking the grimoire from Alec's hands and placing it back on the shelves.

"You know, I'm sure I saw a shrink's office in town," Alec said.

"Alec, what is your first memory? Not the first time you remember going to school or first training thing, what is the first thing you remember clearly?"

Alec stood there, silently, causing Molly to sigh. "Please, Alec, what is the first thing you really remember?"

Alec thought. "A corridor, there was a door at the end and it was bright and cold. I must have been about three or four. I think it was the first time that I was let outside."

Molly nodded. "For me, it's fire. I'm watching a fire, and the next thing I'm off the ground and I don't know who, it could Sam or Dean, but someone is saying something – what, I can't remember exactly – but I remember sounds of them saying something. From talking to Mom, it was the night that my birth mother died. The night that they saved me."

Alec was confused. "You know about the fire?"

"Of course I do." Molly said. "Secrets get you killed in this life, which I suppose means we should have told you earlier. Anyway, they brought me here; thought Mom would take care of me, keep me safe, keep me away from the demon that killed my mother, the same one that killed theirs."

"Fires happen, Moll, accidents happen."

"I know that."

"It's all right, Molly, I'll take it from here," Ellen said as she stood in the basement doorway. "Someone needs to get that delivery in."

"Yes, Mom," Molly replied, turning to go up the stairs, leaving Ellen to deal with Alec.

Ellen let out a little sigh as Molly left. She came down the stairs, standing in front of Alec. "So, what do you want to know?"

* * *

Alec sat on the back step thinking about everything Ellen had told him: about Bill, about the hunting, about how they all seemed to believe in ghosts and demons and everything that he had ever seen in a half-baked slasher movies. That people went out and looked for the things that came out of fairy stories and that they hunted them down. Hunted them with an array of weaponry that would have any self-respecting transgenic salivating.

But, what did they use them for? Things like that don't exist and the only things that could be mistaken for the monsters out of fairy stories these days would be … transhumans. Did the people he had served drinks to, had talked to, been hunting down and killing people like Joshua, like Luke, like Mole, like the people he had left behind in those couple of city blocks back in Seattle.

He heard the pick-up come back earlier, but he wasn't ready to face John yet, not until he had processed the tale he had been told. But he wasn't about to run, not until he knew if this wasn't a way to get at the others; that the people in Terminal City were safe and that Pops and Ellen weren't just wannabe members of White's little group.

But how did they get Billy to buy into it? The boy didn't have an insincere bone in his body.

John opened the back door, causing Alec to look up.

"Get your stuff," John said before he turned and went back into the house.

Alec stood up. He wondered what was going on now. As he entered the kitchen, he could see Ellen and Molly standing there. John was nowhere to be seen. Neither of the two women said a word, leaving Alec to stand there and wait.

John wandered back into the room with a small bag and looked at Alec. "I said get your things."

Alec didn't know what to do. Now he was in on the big secret was he being thrown out? Or were they planning on doing something else to him?

Ellen turned to John. "How long?"

John shrugged. "Depends on her, doesn't it?"

Ellen nodded.

"Dad, she's still sick," Molly interjected.

John took a breath. "She ain't going to get better, Moll. Should have taken him to her when he first turned up."

Alec stood his ground. "I'm not going anywhere."

John looked over at Alec. "Yes, you are."

"It's all right, Alec," Ellen replied. "It's about time you saw someone."

"Who? Another one of these 'hunters' you talked about?" Alec said sarcastically. "Are you going to now chase down the 'monster' that been sleeping in your spare room?"

John clenched his jaw. "Deserve that. Should have told you when you first got here."

"Why didn't you, then?" Alec replied.

John turned said nothing and started out of the room as Alec watched on.

"He's going to take you to Missouri," Molly explained. "It shouldn't take too long. You'll get all the answers you want there."

"Missouri?" Alec said, not too sure about this.

"Alec, it's perfectly safe," Ellen said. "No one is out to harm you or any one of your kind."

"My kind?" Alec said. "You know, Ellen, that is the first time since the day I got here you've said that."

Ellen straightened. "You got a right to be angry, but you are still going. You are part of this family and you are going. You are going to Kansas and there will be no arguments about this, you hearing me?"

Alec knotted his brow. "Kansas? I thought you said Missouri?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - please see earlier chapter.

As it took so long to get the last chapter up, I thought I'd put two up at once.

* * *

The drive was quiet. John barely said two words as Alec looked out the window watching the scenery change. Neither man seemed to want to make the first move, until Alec saw the sign, the sign about the place he had heard about, where it had all begun.

"Here? Why are we going here?" Alec asked as they passed the battered 'Welcome to Lawrence' sign.

"If you don't believe us, then you'll believe her," John replied.

"Who?" Alec asked as they drove on.

"You watch your mouth round her, not that it will do any real good," John replied, not giving out any more information.

They drew up to a little house, which looked like it had seen better days.

"John, I think I've been pretty damn understanding, so why the fuck are we here?" Alec said coldly as they both got out of the truck.

"Because he should have brought you here the minute he found you," the little figure at the front door of the house yelled. "And you watch your mouth in this house, boy, or I will tan your hide with a spoon."

John smiled as she walked away. He turned to Alec. "That is why we're here."

"Who's that?" Alec asked.

"That is Missouri, and before you ask, her hearing isn't that good."

"Then how did she hear what I said?" Alec asked, his lip curling into a smile. "You're not going to tell me she read my mind?"

John started to walk up the path. "Yeah, she did."

"Great," Alec muttered, following on behind. "Just what I need, another person to screw with my brain."

John headed straight to the back of the house as they went inside, leaving Alec to close the front door. Alec milled around the hallway, not sure what to do, falling back on his old standby of making mental notes about what in the place he could easily get rid of if he had to. He picked up an old figurine.

"Put that down right now," she said as she moved toward him. "Wouldn't get you much, anyway."

Alec did as he was told, shoving his hands in his pockets after putting the ceramic cat back in its place. The gray-haired black woman eyed him, weighing him up, taking her time walking around him.

"You got a problem?" Alec asked after a second.

"At least he doesn't have a tail," she said to John, who had joined them. "What's he got in him? Cat? Dog?"

Alec smirked. "Cat. Panther, actually. As for the tail, that's the X-3s. Don't have enough feline in me for that."

"Who said I was talking about you getting a tail from one of those? You could have gotten one from the one you came from." She reached up and pulled his face closer to her, examining it more closely before letting him go. "Bird in there too, I think. See it in your eyes."

Alec swallowed. No one had ever guessed by looking before. She took a step back, turning to John.

"You should have brought him here sooner."

John nodded. "I know."

Missouri turned back to look at Alec, shaking her head, while she addressed John. "Trust that boy of yours to find some way to leave a bit of himself behind."

"You know Dean," John replied.

"Yes, I do," Missouri said firmly. "Never could take the easy route, could he?"

"He's gone, Missouri, him and Sam are gone, and nothing you say will change that."

Missouri shook her head. "I told you what is, John, they ain't died, and if you don't want to believe it anymore then that is your business. Ellen still believes it and don't tell me she don't and don't take that tone with me, John Winchester, I known you too long for that as it is."

Alec looked at the little woman in front of him; he hadn't seen anyone talk to John like that, even Ellen.

"This ain't funny, boy," Missouri said pointedly before the surprised Alec had a chance to react. "You should have been told long ago, but at least you're here now. At least we can get things done right, now."

"You're supposed to get me to believe in all this crap about spirits and shit?" Alec asked.

She walked over to him, clipping him around the head. "I told you to watch your tongue."

She turned to John. "You go do what you have to – it's about time you went to see the place. Leave him with me, shouldn't take too long."

John nodded and started toward the door. He looked at Alec for a second before he headed out of the house.

"Where's he going?" Alec asked as he found himself face to face with the strange little black woman, who looked a more than a little frail.

"Well, come on then, I don't have all day," she said, turning and heading toward another room.

As they entered the reading room Alec went to help her sit down, but she shook him off. "I ain't dead yet, boy!"

"Right," Alec said.

"And don't you think that. I may not hear as good as I used to, but I still know what is going on," she said as she sat down. She pointed to the chair across from her. "Sit down."

"What are you going to do?"

"What else? I'm going to give you a reading," she replied. "Why do you think he brought you here?"

"I don't know. So you could tell me that what Billy said was real?"

"You are going to believe what you want until you're ready, and anything I tell you won't change it," she said, taking hold of his hand.

"Where did John go?" Alec asked.

"He's doing something he should have done years ago," Missouri replied. "Time the man made peace with it. Not that it will do much good, she can't talk to him, went years back, saved her boys and went. Though, you never can be sure. A little of her might have stuck around if she knew about you… or the other one."

Alec pulled his hand back. He hadn't told John about Ben. There were only a few people knew that Ben was his twin, and he doubted that John had heard it from Max or Logan.

"How did you…?" Alec asked, quickly scanning the room, half expecting White or the cops to appear. "Who told you?"

"You told me, minute you walked in the door," Missouri said, peering at him. "Don't worry, you're not like him."

"Damn straight I'm not! I'm not going to go the same way. I'd take myself out before that."

She smiled. "Why should you? You got what he didn't have."

"And what is that?"

"Purpose, you got a reason to be here. You got people who care about you, and you care about them. You're not going to let them down, you shouldn't worry about that."

"Right, Alec the screw-up, not let anyone down?"

"You keep talking like that then you will."

"Okay, you got my attention," Alec replied.

"I had your attention when you walked through the door."

Alec shifted in his seat, getting more comfortable in the old armchair. "Fine, you had my attention when I got here."

Missouri nodded. "Good, now we can get started."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Alec asked. "Is this like a therapy session or something?"

"Will you relax, child, this isn't like one of those roll calls they made you do. You don't have to do anything."

"Really, because, you know, in the movies they read cards, or hold hands, or light candles," Alec said, smiling. "Do you have one of those guide things to help you tell me my fortune? Like an apache medicine man who got killed by the cavalry a couple of hundred years ago?"

"Boy," Missouri said firmly.

"Yeah?" Alec said

"Shut up."

Alec peered at her for a second, "You wouldn't happen to have any relatives out West would you? Grand daughter? Niece? Second cousin?"

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind."

* * *

John stood looking at the vacant lot. The house that had once stood there was long gone; the only recognizable feature left was the bare-branched old tree, which had died long ago. It seemed fitting in a way: that nothing seemed to flourish on the land, not since that night.

The people who lived in the house never stayed for too long, getting out as soon as they could, although there were no reports of anything supernatural in the dwelling since Sam and Dean had cleared the house, when they had been saved by Mary's spirit.

"This where it happened?" Alec asked as he walked up to the side of the pick-up where John was standing.

John didn't reply.

"Shit happens. You couldn't have saved her," Alec said.

"I know that, didn't take me long to realize that," John replied.

"Why are you here then? You got Ellen now, and Billy and Molly; how does torturing yourself over this help?"

"You tell me," John said.

Alec didn't say a word as John continued. "You hardly talk about your friends in Seattle, barely know anything about them apart from the few stories you told Billy, and the ones I met. Thought it was habit at first, training you had. Trying to keep them and us safe, less we know and all, but I'm not stupid, I know something happened. You don't keep people at arm's length like you do unless something happened. "

"That's different," Alec replied.

"Why?" John said. "You been working your way through the county and beyond since you came."

"So what? They know exactly what is going on. I never promised any one of them anything."

"Exactly," John said, turning to Alec. "Dean, he worked his way through every piece of skirt he could get his hands on because somewhere in his head he was convinced that everyone was going to leave him; you, it's different and I'm not just talking about some of the ones you go home with."

"Have you got a problem with that?" Alec asked defensively.

John shook his head. "Nope, it's your business, and even if I did, got no right to say anything."

"I like sex," Alec replied. "When did that become a crime?"

"Didn't say it was, did I?" John said. "Way I figure, you must have been burned pretty bad by someone."

Alec took a second. "Good try, we're talking about you here, not me."

"Sure," John retorted. "And you just didn't change the subject either."

"Fine, be like that, let it eat you up inside," Alec said. "How long has it been anyway – 40 years?"

John nodded. "It's not that I could never have saved her, Alec, it's that I couldn't kill the thing that did it to her."

Alec didn't know what to say as John continued. "I got close, even did a deal with the bastard. I failed her, Alec. I failed Mary, I failed the boys, and now they're probably dead. That bastard is still alive and I'm standing here. God, I hope they were killed outright that night and that yellow-eyed son of a bitch hid their bodies as another way to torture me, not have them where I was or somewhere worse. Because no way in hell are they still alive, not after all this time, someone would have heard something. The boys… if they…they would have gotten away, somehow."

"You did a deal? What deal?" Alec was confused.

John didn't say a word.

"John, what deal?" Alec asked. He'd come this far; he needed to know.

"At the time I thought it was the only way. Sammy needed him more than me, but what the hell could I expect? Truth is, Dean was more a father to Sam than I ever was. Without Dean, after what happened to Mary, I don't know what would have happened. He was the heart and soul of this family, kept me and Sam going, he grew up too fast because of it. So, I made the deal with the yellow-eyed bastard I'd been hunting since the day Mary died," John explained. "And thinking about it now, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Alec was still confused. "Is that what happened? You did a deal for Dean?"

"He was dying, and it was my fault; I'd put him in that position. So, for the first time since he was four-years-old, I became the father he needed me to be," John explained. "I found a way to make it better."

"Jesus, John, from what Logan said, the state you were in, I'm surprised you're still alive."

John turned and looked at Alec, his lip curling into a smile. "After being cremated, so am I."

"Cremated?"

"We'd better get back. Knowing Missouri, she'll expect us back for supper," John said, getting into the pick-up truck.

"John, what did you mean by cremated?"

"Am I going to get a name?" John asked, starting the engine as Alec got into the truck.

"You didn't answer my question." Alec said.

"And you didn't answer mine," John replied. "Guess we are both going to be a wanting."

Alec bit his bottom lip. "Rachel, okay, she's dead. She was the daughter of a target, and now she's dead because of me. They wanted her to be collateral damage, but I couldn't handle it and I tried to get her out, but she's still dead. Happy?"

John switched off the engine, turning to face Alec. "Look, son, you tried, and at the end of the day that is all you could have done, and I'm guessing you played the price for even trying to get her out."

"Doesn't make it right."

"Alec, you've been through shit I don't want to imagine, made to do things you should never have had to do, and if I'd known you existed I'd have been out there in a heartbeat."

"Pop, you don't have to say this."

"No, I do," John said. "I would have wanted you out of there. Not that this life is much better; we were always on the road, you deserved a home, as did Dean and Sam. Mary would have wanted that for them, for all of you. You were just following orders."

"I don't think that answer has worked since the Nuremberg trials," Alec said sarcastically. "Orders or not Rachel is dead because of me, because of the bomb I planted, and there is nothing you can say that can change that."

"She change you?" John asked.

Alec didn't answer, to which John nodded. "Remember that, remember the person you were when you were around her. That is what she left you with. Makes it easier to work out what person you want to be when you are ready to move on."

"That work for you?"

John shrugged. "Kind of."

Alec let out a chuckle.

"What?" John asked.

Alec shook his head. "Nothing."

"What is going on in that head of yours?"

"It's just I can't picture it."

"Picture what?" John asked.

"I'm sorry, I can't… Nothing, forget it," Alec said, dismissing John with a wave of his hand.

"You finish what you're saying," John said firmly.

Alec took a breath. "Don't take this the wrong way, I know genetically speaking that she's my 'mother', but I can't picture it."

"Can't picture Mary? I showed you photos of her."

"No, it isn't that. From what you say she was real nice and all, and the pictures, yeah, can see why you'd go there, but it's…" Alec said seriously. "I can't picture anyone putting up with your stubborn ass other than Ellen."

John smiled. "She's something, her and Mary both. Count myself lucky that either one of them let me through the door. Though, it was a close run thing both times."

"Right," Alec replied.

"Sure. There I was just out the service, barely a nickel to my name, Mary just out of school. Her father hated the sight of me. Always did think I was her way of acting out."

"Kids… what you going to do?" Alec said, smirking.

"With Ellen, lot more water under the bridge," John said. "To be honest, wake up every morning surprised she hasn't kicked me to the curb."

"She mentions it now and again," Alec said, smiling.

"What about you? Anyone in Seattle missing you?"

Alec scowled. "Not in the way you mean."

"They got a nasty habit of calling you at all hours."

"Does everybody in that house have nothing better to do than listen at my door?" Alec asked. "No, I just get a call when someone wants to bust someone's chops about something."

"Really?"

Alec shrugged. "Yeah, I'm the one gets the call when everyone else has told her to piss off or told her to go to sleep."

John raised an eyebrow. "And you are doing 'her' a favor, listening to 'her' day, then?"

Alec looked at his watch. "I'm sure that that friend of yours said that she was going to put dinner on the table about now."

"You got a knack of changing the subject, you know."

"Maybe it's genetic?" Alec said. "So, the being cremated thing?"

John shrugged. "Not much to tell. I sold my soul for Dean's life, died 'cause of it. Knowing the boys they would have burnt the body."

Alec ran his hand over his face. "Why is it that I feel like I'm the only sane one in this family? And I'm the genetic freak."

John let out a laugh. "Keep hold of that feeling, kiddo, it gets a lot stranger from here on out."

* * *

They stayed overnight, Missouri making them breakfast. Alec gave the two friends time to talk by clearing up the dishes. He came back into the dining room to find John and Missouri talking animatedly.

"John, it is too soon, you can't do it to the boy," the little woman said. "He ain't like the other two, you can't order him around like that, not him; he's had enough of that."

"I'm not ordering him, he's got a choice," John replied. "But he deserves to know the whole thing instead of us telling him tales of things he don't understand. If he is going to decide anything, I'm going to show him what he is deciding about."

"What I'm deciding about?" Alec asked. "John, you got me to come here, but I'm not going anywhere else without an explanation."

John sighed. "Dealing with Sam was easier."

It turned out that some campers had been disappearing in the Minnesota woods; one of the sort-of regulars at the Roadhouse had taken the job thinking that it was a Wendigo or some other sort of demonic creature. John explained that he planned to go up that way.

"You won't believe what we tell you, maybe you'll believe your own eyes," John had said flatly.

Alec knotted his brow. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Missouri looked between the two men before fixing her glare on the younger man.

"Child, go with him. Even if you don't believe us at least you'll be keeping him out of trouble."

Alec didn't know what to say – women – was he always going to be owned by them?

* * *

As they put their things in the back of the pick-up, John and Missouri said their goodbyes. From the look of the woman, Alec guessed that it would probably be the last time the two old friends would see each other.

Missouri came around to the other side of the truck to say goodbye to Alec. She brushed his hair out of his face. He hadn't had it cut since he had been at the Roadhouse, not since he realized that to get his barcode lasered meant that he had to go two towns over, and regular break-ins in a place that size would definitely be noticed.

"You got a soul, child," she said seriously. "A good one. You remember that."

"I will."

"You take care of yourself and you take care of that old fool," she said, nodding in John's direction. "You hearing me?"

"Loud and clear," Alec said with a nod.

John watched the scene before she turned her attention back to him. "You tell Ellen and the babies to be safe, and tell her that girl of yours is too much like her momma to learn any other way than the hard way."

"Ellen will love that," John replied.

Missouri tutted. "Well, she isn't going to argue with me on this now."

John was quiet for a second before lifting his head and looking his old friend in the eye. "Only seeing as you aren't going to give her the last word."

"Damn straight I'm not," the little woman said, smiling.

She turned to Alec, giving him a hug. "Now don't you worry, you'll be fine."

"Didn't know I wasn't going to be," Alec replied with a smirk on his face.

Missouri raised an eyebrow before adding, "And if that girl in that rat's nest is half as special as you think she is then she'll come round. You just got to be patient."

Alec looked confused as he got into the truck. John started the engine.

"What was that about?" John asked.

Alec shrugged. "I got no idea."

John grinned as he put the truck into gear. "Got no one in Seattle, then?"

"Seriously, that just proves it that this is bull, because if it wasn't, that woman's antenna is screwy," Alec replied in his own defence.

"Really?"

* * *

The hunt wasn't exactly what Alec expected – it was more like a cross between a military operation and a police investigation. Not the bunk of orange-jacketed weekend warriors hiding in the woods.

John had told Alec to wait while he and Jacobs, the hunter they had met up with, conned information out of the citizens of the tiny town. On the third night, Alec found himself heading toward the woods just before dawn. It was at this point Alec started to feel nervous.

"Don't worry, kid, we'll look after you seeing as it's your first time out," Jacobs said reassuringly as he spotted that Alec was itching to get his hands on one of the weapons in the extensive kit that John seemed to have sequestered in the back of the pick-up. Alec was impressed, as well as a little freaked. Unless you knew where you were looking, John could probably have hidden anything in that truck.

They said that they would probably be using flare guns as fire was the best way to be sure that the thing would stay dead. Alec picked up a Glock, carefully examining it, getting used to the weight of the gun in his hand. It felt natural, like it hadn't been more than a couple of days since he had held one.

"Here," John said, sensing Alec's anxiety, handing the younger man a pearl-handed Colt.

Alec looked at it. "Nice."

"Take care of it," John said simply as he continued to look through the weapons chest.

"You had it long?" Alec asked, double-checking that the magazine was full.

"It's not mine," John said, not looking up, though Jacobs did. The other hunter looked straight at Alec.

Alec stilled. "Dean's?"

John didn't answer, instead beginning to pack up.

They ended up in an old mine shaft, the older hunters thinking that this was the 'Wendigo's' lair and that it would be more vulnerable there. Alec thought that it was the perfect place for someone to go 'Hannibal Lecter' on local campers, and what they would find was some nut job nibbling on someone's spleen.

The thing came out of nowhere, lifting Alec clean off his feet; it took all of Alec's strength and speed to get free. It confused the thing. It wasn't too sure what it was facing; the meat wasn't supposed to be able to do that.

Its hesitation gave Alec the time he needed to get behind the fugly bastard, going into automatic pilot, snapping its neck, which wasn't easy at all.

After the thing went down, Alec stood before it, too scared to move. He took a breath, which seemed to allow his brain to take the time it needed to reset. He squatted down to examine the back of the thing's neck – there was no barcode.

Alec shook his head; that didn't make any sense. Joshua was the only one without a code. He felt the gray skin for the possible telltale laser burn, but there was nothing: no code, no mark, it wasn't there.

"Hey, John," Jacobs cried. "The kid's brought the thing down."

Alec looked up as Jacobs came over to him. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Jesus, Alec, what the hell did you do?" Jacobs asked.

"I…" Alec said not sure how to continue that sentence; instead, he turned to look at John, whose face didn't seem to express any emotion at that point.

Jacobs slapped Alec on the back. "It's okay, kid, first time out is always the hardest."

Alec's attention snapped back to the man beside him.

"We'd better burn it," John instructed.

Jacobs stood up. "You're right. Better be safe than sorry."

They fired a couple of flares into the corpse, lighting it up like a Roman candle.

"Well, I guess that's it," John said, putting the last of his things in the back of the truck. "You staying here?"

"Couple of days, just to make sure," Jacobs said as Alec stood silently. Jacobs turned, putting out his hand. "You did good, kid, remember that. Damn bastard won't hurt anyone else again because of you."

"Yeah, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," Alec deadpanned.

Jacobs slapped Alec on the back. "I like you, kid. Chip off the old block." Jacobs turned to John. "Your boys would be proud."

* * *

"I guess this is kind of real then, isn't it?" Alec asked, to which John nodded as they prepared to leave.

"And Dean and Sam, they did this?"

John nodded again. "The boys were raised into it."

Alec exhaled loudly as he tried to take the information in.

"You believe now?" John asked.

"Can I get back to you on that?" Alec replied.

John smiled as he turned on the engine. "Sure."

"Can I ask one thing?"

"Go for it."

Alec swallowed. "Ellen's first husband?"

"Bill," John said as he put the truck into drive. "Job went bad. Ellen knows everything. As you would put it, it went FUBAR."

"Define FUBAR."

"I broke cover sooner than I was supposed to, Bill got the worst," John said sincerely. "He was holding his guts in when I got to him."

Alec looked at John, who had stopped talking. He wasn't sure what to say. He knew what had probably happened next; he'd been part of actions where the same thing had been done. Not that he had drawn the short straw on those occasions. "Better quick. Cleaner."

"She didn't see it that way, not at first."

Alec shrugged. "She wouldn't, but you do a job, you take your chances."

"Look, Alec, you don't have to be part of this."

"Why do you say that?"

John glanced over at Alec before answering the question. "Dean and Sam; never gave them a choice about this. I should have and I didn't, expected them to follow my lead and not question it," John said. "I know I was a bastard, Ellen's told me that more times than I can count and she's right. Molly's heart ain't in the fight, which is good, she's a bookworm, she can do more good that way, and as for Billy…"

"Even if he wasn't, would you risk it?"

John shook his head. "Couldn't do that to Ellen. It'd kill her."

"She'd kill you more like it," Alec replied.

"True," John said, smiling. "Anyways, you don't have to be part of this if you don't want to."

Alec didn't say a word.

"I saw your face when he said about this being your first kill."

Alec shook his head. "Pop, I'm fine, just took me off guard when he said it, that's all."

"Sure it did," John said.

"I think I'm okay with killing it. It was eating people, needed to be put down," Alec replied. "When it comes down to it, considering the people I have taken out, I think this is one of the few times I can actually say it was for the best. Not that I'm saying that I believe in the hocus-pocus bull; Mr Gray-and-scary could have been an old school reject from a failed genetic project, and talking as a top of the range model I have seen some prize genetic screw-ups."

John sighed. "Well, I suppose it's a start."

* * *

Logan was abruptly awoken by his cell phone going off. He bolted upright and went for the phone. In his barely conscious state he almost sent everything else on the bedside table flying.

"What's happened?" Logan said agitatedly, trying to get hold of this bedroom lamp as he answered his cell.

"Logan, buddy, how's life treating you?" Alec asked.

"Alec?" Logan said, slowly realizing who was on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah, it's me."

Logan sighed. "This better be good, it's 5:30 in the morning."

"Really?" Alec said, in a way that Logan knew Alec was sitting on the other end of the phone with a grin on his face. "The sun's up here."

Logan lay back down, his phone still to his ear. He resigned himself that it was going to be one of those days. "Alec, what do you want?"

"I missed you," Alec said sarcastically.

"Be serious."

"Seriously, can't I miss you?" Alec asked.

"Your sense of humor needs a tune-up," Logan said. He was too tired for this.

"I'll have you know, I'm still the life and soul of the party."

"Sure you are, Alec," Logan replied. "If you're bored why don't you call someone else?"

"Why would I do that if I need to ask you a question?"

"What question is that, Alec?"

"Okay, I'll get the point Mr Grouchy… actually, how's things there, and I really mean how's things – not the bull Max lets me in on."

"Alec, everything is fine: Terminal City is fine, White is quiet at the moment, and Mole hasn't threatened to try to kill Max in about a week."

"Right, and how are you and her?"

"Alec, I'm tired," Logan snapped. "What is it?"

"Whoa, aren't we touchy. Okay, just a quick question, do you know of any projects from before Manticore?"

"What? Don't you know?"

"Sure, Logan, they told us right between brainwashing 101 and unarmed combat."

"Alec, it is early, can't this wait?"

"Not really. I have to be quick: Billy tends to listen at doors. So, do you know or not? Were there any projects before Manticore?"

"Sure, I think so. Manticore would have had to build on technology that the government would have already known about. I don't think that Sandeman would have been able to go to the military without having some idea of what he was trying to do."

"I'll take that as a yes, then," Alec replied, satisfied with the answer.

"Why do you want to know that now?" Logan asked.

"Is it possible that some of these experiments… well, could it be that they got dumped out in the big bad?"

"It's possible. I suppose they could have been. Why? Alec, have you seen something?"

There was silence for a few seconds. "Nah, it's nothing. Thanks, Logan."

"Alec, did you ask them about what I told you?" Logan enquired. "About Ellen and Molly?"

"Yeah, I did," Alec replied, trying to think fast. He was having a hard enough time with the hunting thing himself; he didn't need Logan to think he was a screwball too. "Ellen's first husband, Bill, well, he took off. She didn't hear from him again, and she didn't have the cash to look for him. She did put the word out with some of his friends – they heard nothing either."

"And Molly? Did you get an explanation about the fire?"

"Wasn't her. Turns out that the guys found her at the side of the road on the way back from some job they had in Washington, doing what, I'm not too sure, but they didn't know how to contact the authorities without it looking like they had grabbed her from somewhere. Thought if Ellen dropped the kid off it would look better with the cops, but with what happened, Molly getting hurt and all, Ellen just held on to her."

Logan thought for a second. Alec's story was a little too rounded for his liking. "Are you sure that's all?"

"Yeah, totally," Alec replied. "Look, Logan, I really do appreciate what you did looking into this for me."

"Alec, you okay?" Logan asked tentatively.

Alec sighed, "I'm still me, Logan."

"Sure you are."

"Logan, I talked it through with them. They haven't told me everything, but they're more open about stuff now."

"And John's injuries?"

"I figure that's his business – if he doesn't want to talk about it then I'm not going to ask."

"Alec, you've got a right to know."

"Why?" Alec asked. "The guy's got a right to some privacy. Doesn't need to be reminded he fucked up somewhere along the line all those years ago. Anyway, if they tell me everything then I've got to tell them everything, and I'm not doing that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, duh – don't think they need to know about everything I've done."

"That was Manticore, and they know about that."

"They don't need the details or know about the fact I had a twin I never met that went looney tunes probably wouldn't go down too well, would it?"

"You haven't told them about Ben yet?"

"Nope, and I don't plan to," Alec replied. "He's dead, Logan, and I really don't need the aggravation of dealing with the fallout from Ben yet again."

Logan tutted. "You are playing a dangerous game there, Alec."

"I'm being careful. Anyway, I figure I'm pretty safe; the only person outside Seattle who knows about him swore she'd never tell and I believe her."

"Who did you tell?"

"Well, I didn't exactly tell her, but she promised to keep her mouth shut."

"What do you mean 'you didn't tell her'?"

"Long story. But, Logan, thanks," Alec said, before hanging up the phone.

* * *

Let me know what you think it may get me to post things faster


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer - please see earlier chapters.

Thanks to everybody who has read this so far as well as those who have reviewed.

Have finished my exams finally, so decided to get this up. Hope you like.

* * *

Alec went on a few hunts after that, nothing complicated, just as backup. He wanted to understand what these men did and why they did it, while he tried to find something that would prove to John, 100 percent, that what they were hunting were warped products from failed genetic experiments, rather than ghouls and goblins.

Ellen didn't say a word about it, neither did Molly, although he did find out that Kenny, the guy Molly was seeing, was also one of these hunters – which was part of the reason that John and Ellen didn't like the guy. He was one of the ones that left nothing but trouble in his wake, Ellen said.

Billy, though, thought it was great; he could tell Alec the stories, stories he had first heard as a baby. Stories of the Banshee that Sam took out in Florida with Dad when he was sixteen, the rawhide that almost got away until Dean tricked it into a pool of water allowing John to electrocute it. All the stories of the things that his brothers did before that day when they disappeared.

John was all right about Alec not wanting to push himself forward, thinking that it was for the best. The hunters in the Roadhouse were still divided about the situation in Seattle. Some were saying that 'the freaks', as the transgenics were being referred to by some in the bar, were just as bad as some of the things that they met in the night, that they were biding their time lulling people into a false sense of security before striking.

Not that they said the last part in front of Alec, knowing that he had friends among the transgenics out West. Alec was surprised how few of them had actually seen, let alone met, a real transgenic in the flesh, other than him; not that they had any idea he was one of the freaks they spoke of.

* * *

It was on a hunt in New Mexico that it happened; though at some point Alec should have realized that it would, especially with his luck.

A chupacabra was taking out cattle near Santa Fe, possibly a family of them seeing how many ranchers had noticed chickens had also been disappearing, but it wasn't until a little boy was attacked that it was brought to the attention of the hunting community.

John and Alec had packed up and driven west with a couple of other hunters who had talked a drunken John into helping them; damn things are like Road Runner, they said, and another pair of hands would be good.

Ellen had been more than a little pissed off seeing how she had gotten word that there was a possibility that they could get an appointment for Billy with a cardiologist in Lincoln. When he had heard that, John had tried to call the hunt off, though in the end Ellen agreed that if Alec went with them the job would probably be done quicker, four pairs of hands were better than three. As for the doctor, Ellen would get in touch as soon as she heard anything concrete.

The hunt itself wasn't difficult; basically waiting in fields as the sun went down, which meant they spent a lot of time sitting in the trucks. They found the last ranch that had been targeted. It seemed to be on the edge of the feeding range; the hunters guessed that the ranchers, fed up with the attacks, had moved the cattle elsewhere, so cutting off the food supply and sending the creatures after the local neighborhood children.

It had gone dark when it happened. The chicken coop had been hit; the hunters heard the disturbance. The things they were after had tasted human blood, and it was too risky to leave the creatures alive in a populated area.

When the hunters got there the coop had been emptied, and the thieves were making their way through the long grass. They seemed to disappear down an old storm drain. Alec followed them down, seeing how he got there before the other three men who were trailing behind him.

He carefully made his way along the drain making sure that he wasn't going to be blindsided. It was then that he caught sight of something in one of the side tunnels; it was close enough to make a grab for. He reached out, pulling it to the ground; it struggled, twisting in Alec's arms while holding onto its loot. It was small and dirty and kicked and bit for all it was worth. Alec twisted it around, taking a look at its pale face framed by a mass of white hair.

"Oh, hell no!" Alec exclaimed as he was attacked from the side by something slightly smaller than the child he had trapped in his arms. This one wasn't pale, had no hair. It had mottled skin like a reptile, was definitely male, and was carrying a large pipe.

"You let her alone!" the boy yelled, charging toward Alec.

"Great, I've got a gecko to deal with," Alec said, easily grabbing hold of the pipe and disarming the child.

The boy stood there, baring his teeth at Alec, ready to attack again, as was the other one who was now on her feet. Alec couldn't help but let out a little laugh at the tenacity of the kids in front of him. "It's okay; I'm not going to hurt you."

"You lie," the boy spat out. "Smooth skins lie."

Alec ran a hand over his face. It wouldn't be long before the others worked their way down here. "Right, kid, I lie." Alec squatted down and twisted around to show the kids in front of him the barcode hidden by his hair.

"You're an X?" the pale transgenic stammered.

"Yeah, kid, I am," Alec replied.

"You believe me now?"

The two of children looked at each other before snapping to attention. "Yes, sir, ready to report, sir!"

Alec sighed. "Brilliant, just brilliant."

The girl, who was an arctic transgenic, turned and whistled in the direction of one of the tunnels; a smaller desert unit came scurrying out of it. It held on to the chickens it was carrying, only dropping them when it snapped to attention as soon as it reached the other two.

"DAC 127 ready for duty, sir," it said in a small, but strong voice.

"Today is getting better and better," Alec said to no one in particular.

The hunters were at the edge of the storm drain, trying to work out which was the best way to go after Alec and the creatures they were following, when the voice cried out.

"I'm coming out," Alec shouted. "Put away the weapons."

"Alec, you all right?" John asked with more than a little concern in his voice.

"I'm fine, but I'm not coming out until the three of you put down the guns." There was a little pause, followed by some mumbling, and John could swear he heard Alec sighing before he added, "And we'll know if you don't because we can see you."

"Alec?" one of the other two men asked. "You sure you're fine?"

"Will you just put down the damn shotgun? I'm standing knee deep in God knows what here, and I'm sure I just saw something floating by that I don't want to know where it came from," Alec said, more than a little exasperated.

The three older men looked at each other before carefully lowering their weapons.

"Good – right, I'm coming out, and I'm just warning you I'm not alone."

"Alec," John said, a little more agitated, peering down the darkened stretch of pipe. "What's happening?"

"Take a step back and I'll come out, and before you get any ideas, they aren't the ones we're after."

"Who's with you?" one of the other hunters yelled.

Alec didn't reply for a second. "They're not who we're looking for, all right? Just back off and let me come out."

The three men nodded, not letting their guard down, but they took a step back, waiting for Alec to appear.

It took a second as Alec appeared from the dark; two arms were around his neck and there were two small forms trailing behind him, one wearing a cape and the other a woollen cap.

John raised the gun, not liking what he was seeing, causing Alec to stop.

"Pop, put the gun down. They've been stealing chickens, that's all. Nothing else, all right?"

John knotted his brow, slowly lowering the gun. Alec continued on his trudge, the small DAC on his back and the other two trailing behind.

"What the hell?" one of the other hunters said.

John opened his mouth to say something, but Alec beat him to it. "I don't know about you guys but I could really do with a shower right now," he said, continuing to walk by them, followed by the children.

* * *

John and the other two hunters sat in the motel room facing the three transgenic children as Alec took his long wanted shower. Two of the transgenics appeared to be the same type, lizard–like, although one of them was a clear foot taller than the other one. The third, in the cape, was very pale, and continuously eyed up the refrigerator although it hadn't made a move toward it.

As soon as the bathroom door opened, the three of them snapped to attention, causing the hunters to look at each other, a little shocked.

Alec turned to John, nodding to the other hunters, Rowl and Coflax. "You filled them in?"

John nodded. "Told them."

"And?"

"So you're really a… you know?" Rowl asked. Coflax picked up the half-empty whiskey bottle that was lying on the table.

"Yep, one lot of stolen human DNA and a few pieces from wild kingdom, and bingo you get me. Just like them three," Alec said, gesturing to the three children in front of him. He looked at the pale one. "Kid, water should be cold enough for you now, knock yourself out."

She bit her lip, not sure, if she should move.

"Go, now!" Alec ordered.

She looked at the other two before running toward the bathroom.

"Arctics' – promise them something cold and they're yours for life," Alec said jokingly before turning toward the older of the other two. "Saw a sandbox out back, kid. Take your friend and see it's secure and suitable; if it is, do what you have to, and I want to see the two of you back here in five."

The boy nodded. "Yes, sir."

The younger one followed the other to the door as Alec went to his bag, pulling out a couple of tee shirts and some sweats, throwing them in the direction of the kids. "Here, they'll do you for now. 'Cause the clothes you're in stink."

"Yes, sir!" the two said firmly before going outside.

Alec ran a palm over his face.

"What the hell was that?" Coflax asked, whiskey bottle still in hand.

Alec raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure when they last had a bath, but from the look of them, it's been a while. Anyway, for DAC's at that age it's not too good for their skin if they don't make sure they get the rough stuff off first; a sand bath should do the trick, then they can have a proper shower. Anyway, she'll take awhile, it's almost 70 degrees already, poor kid must be suffering like hell in this heat."

"Suffering?" John asked.

"Yeah she's an arctic, the other two, desert. Looks like they've been running since the fire."

"And you are?" Rowl asked.

"X-5. It is a long story, but they're only kids. I'm not going to hurt you, and none of us have got anything to do with the dark-side, all right?"

The two older men looked at John. "What?" asked Coflax.

"He's Dean's clone," John replied. "I don't like it, he doesn't like it, but that is the way it is, and I'm not going to hold him responsible for what the bastards that made him did to Dean."

"Is that what happened?" Rowl asked. "The government?"

"Jesus, I knew it!" Coflax exclaimed. "Hunters have been disappearing for years; never did think all of them went through the hunt."

Alec sighed. "No, the government, to my knowledge, didn't pick you hunting types up off the side of the road to play with. It was Dean's dumb luck to get picked on."

Rowl looked at the doorway. "Guys, how do you know that we ain't going to have a momma coming looking for those three – we could have goddamn ten-foot lizard thing banging on our door."

"No, momma for the three of them was probably some junkie doing five to twenty, renting out her insides for a cushy ride inside and a guaranteed quality fix after the birth of the mutants she was carrying," Alec said as he started to look through his bag.

John knotted his brow, not exactly liking what Alec had said. "What?"

Alec looked up. He saw the look on John's face and realised that the two of them had never really discussed the subject. He scratched his nose. "Ahhh, well, that was what I heard. Transhumans, like them, didn't get the prime stock when it came to surrogates, and prisons were an easy place to get a lot of desperate women who they could control."

"And you?" John asked cautiously.

Alec shrugged. "Don't know, really. Some say the X's got girls from the local area, healthier ones, cut down the chance of mutation in our genome or something. Though personally, I don't know, never really thought too much about the rent control apartment I spent the first nine months in."

"Okay, I'm confused," Rowl said.

"He's saying we ain't going to get creature of the black lagoon tracking us down," Coflax said. "But how do you know that they weren't the ones we're after? How do we know that you two ain't covering their backs?"

"He's covered my back on the job and I know him. If you don't trust him then you don't trust me," John said firmly.

"John, its not that we don't trust you, but I'm just saying that you might have blinders on here," Coflax replied.

"That's right, no offence, John," Rowl said. "All you have is 'his' word, so how the hell can you be sure that these things aren't the things we should have been after in the first place? How do you know they ain't dangerous?"

"If they're dangerous? That dead kid was sucked dry; those three don't feed like that," Alec said.

"Yeah, like I'm going to take your word for that," Rowl replied.

Alec clenched his jaw. He really didn't need this. He picked Rowl, and the chair he was sitting on, clean off the floor. "If you want to worry about a transgenic, worry about me, because I can be dangerous. But if I was going to hurt you I would have done it already, and you wouldn't have known what hit you."

"Okay, I believe you," Rowl said.

"Calm down, now," John said. "Alec, back off. He was just asking."

Alec let Rowl down and took a step back. "They have a taste for chicken, not human; it wasn't something they used to feed us back at Manticore. Anyway, you asked us to come, not the other way around."

"Okay." Coflax nodded. "If you're sure that they ain't what we're looking for, do they know where we could find it?"

Alec shrugged. "You could ask them to see. But first, we need to get them some clothes because what they were in really needs to be burnt."

"What?"

"Clothes?"

"Yeah, clothes, and something for them to eat," Alec replied.

"Right, and if we do that, they'll be able to help?" Coflax said as he got up and headed toward the door. He stopped, turning to the others. "What the hell do we feed them?"

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapters.

As I have said all along please let me know what you think.

* * *

The white haired 'girl' came out of the shower wrapped in a towel; she was carrying her clothes, holding them tightly as if her life depended on them. She tentatively stepped out of the bathroom, relaxing slightly when she saw the other two transgenics and Alec.

"Water's hot now," she said quietly.

"Your turn," Alec said to the two DAC's who had returned to the room. "Don't know how long you'll have the water in a place like this, so be quick."

The older DAC nodded and took the younger one by the hand, leading it to the bathroom.

John looked at the child left in the room; she was small, and he could see it in her eyes, she was terrified.

"It's all right, no one is going to hurt you," John said.

She looked at Alec. "Are you here to collect us, sir? Are we returning to base now?"

Alec shook his head. "No."

"Then are we obsolete? We were told that old models that were obsolete got rounded up and retired, sir?" she said, keeping hold of her little bundle. She looked skittish, ready to run.

"What?" John replied.

Alec got down to eye level with the girl. "No one is being retired, all right?"

"But we were told…"

"Kid, who told you this?" John asked.

"It's okay, you can tell him," Alec said to her as she looked from Alec to John.

"Is he your CO, sir?" she asked Alec.

"Well, I suppose right now, for the purpose of this operation, yeah, he's the CO," Alec replied.

The girl snapped to attention, saluting John, while still holding on to her bundle. "Sir, yes sir."

"Oh boy, this is going to be tough," Alec said to John as the other two came out of the bathroom. The smaller one had a towel wrapped around its head; it made it look tiny. It was then the other two hunters came back with a couple of bags.

"Cleaned out the thrift store, didn't know what to get – never dressed a mutant before; gutted one, but never dressed one," Coflax said lightly.

"Shut up," John said firmly as all three small heads bobbed up at the comment.

"Right," Coflax said.

"Got burgers. Is that all right?" Rowl asked.

Alec nodded. "Should be; think we can rule out them being vegetarian."

The three hunters looked at him, causing him to glance downward. "Me and my big mouth," he muttered as he took the bag of clothes from Coflax, spreading it out on the bed, before turning to the children. "Right, find something that kind of fits."

They hesitated before diving in, picking out various items and starting to put them on.

"No, no, no," Alec said as they started to strip off in front of them. "Not here. Get dressed in the bathroom."

The children looked at each other before looking at Alec, puzzled.

"Why, sir?" the older DAC asked.

"Because I said so, now go," Alec said, running a hand down his face as they picked up their new things and went.

He turned to the other men, who looked uncomfortable. "Sorry, modesty isn't something we were taught until after basics."

"Right," said Rowl.

The bathroom door opened and the smallest DAC ran out, heading toward the bed where the clothes were and picking up a ribbon; it smiled. "Pretty."

Alec smiled at it as it ran back toward the bathroom. "Well, that clears that up."

"That's a girl?" Coflax asked.

Alec nodded. "Think so."

"Are you sure that we aren't going have something coming looking for them?" asked Rowl.

Alec stilled. "Might do, don't know yet."

"What do you mean 'don't know'?" one of the other men asked.

"No way they could have survived without help," John said. "Any idea what's been looking after them?"

"No, but that is something we'll find out," Alec replied.

The three children, dressed in their new things, came out of the bathroom and lined up against the wall.

"Right, let's introduce ourselves; what are your names and ages?" John asked

"AAC 825, sir. Aged twelve years, sir," the girl said.

"DAC 247, sir, nine, sir," the boy barked out.

"DAC 127 reporting, sir, and I'm…" the youngest one squeaked, before turning to the older DAC.

"You're four," the older DAC said quietly.

"DAC 127, and I'm four, sir," she said.

"You don't have names, do you?" Alec asked.

"Names, sir?" 825 asked, "We have designations, why would we need names?"

"They don't have names?" one of the hunters asked.

"No, they don't – it's okay, though, we can sort out," Alec said, before squatting down in front of the children.

"I'm X5-494, but my name is Alec." He pointed to the hunters on the other side of the room. "That's Mr Winchester, Mr Coflax and Mr Rowl. So, what do you want to be called?"

"Why do we need names?" the youngest one asked. "Did we do something wrong?"

"No," Alec said. "It just means that you'll have both."

"Why both, sir? Are you going to split us up and put us into new units?" 825 asked, slightly panicked. "Is that why you came for us? Is there a mission, sir?"

"Oh hell, no. Just get something to eat and think of name," Alec said, pointing to the burgers.

The children ran over to the bags, tearing into the burgers and fries.

"They don't have names?" Coflax asked Alec as he joined them. "Why the hell don't they have names?"

"They've got designations; probably all they needed until now."

"Mission, why did they ask about a mission?" Rowl asked.

Alec shrugged. "It's what they were built for."

"You guys got out over two years ago," John said. "Why don't they know they're not about to be scooped up?"

"Probably not big news readers. Anyway, they were chased down last night by four men with guns. Transgenic or not, they're kids, probably only way they knew how to explain it in their minds."

"Someone has to be looking after them," Coflax said. "A twelve, nine and a four-year-old don't get here by themselves."

"I hope so, but it's possible whoever picked them up might not be around anymore."

After their meal, the three children lined up, ready for inspection. Alec stood in front of them. "Right, here is the 411. There is no base, there are no missions, there will be no retirements, and no one is going to be obsolete. You will be known by names, not designations, do you hear me?" Alec ran his hand through his hair. "And… oh my God, I sound exactly like Max right now."

The three children looked at each other before peering around Alec to look at John. "What?" the older man asked as they stared at him.

"They need you to confirm the order," Alec said. "You're my commanding officer."

The two other hunters looked at John, who wasn't too sure what to do. "Right, listen to him, that's an order."

The three children focused their attention on Alec. The boy DAC, 247, looked at the wrappers on the table before turning back to Alec. "Can I be called Wendy? That is where the burgers came from."

Coflax stifled a laugh as Alec rolled his eyes. "No."

"Why not?" 825 asked.

"Right, that does it." Alec took a step back. "How the hell does she do this?" he said quietly.

He looked at the children, taking hold of the older two, switching the order of their line up to have the boy then the two girls standing in line.

"From now on you will be called Larry, Curly and Mo," he said, pointing to them in turn.

Larry, formally DAC 247, looked a bit down in the mouth. "I think I preferred Wendy."

"Mo, Mo, Mo," the youngest one started to repeat over and over. She marched over to Coflax, sticking out her hand. "Hello, I'm Mo."

"Hello, Mo," Coflax said, not sure if he was going to take the child's hand.

"She won't bite," Alec said as the man took the little girl's hand.

"Yes, she does, sir," Curly said, causing Coflax to pull his hand back.

"That is another thing, I'm not 'sir', no one is 'sir'."

"Why, sir?" Larry asked. "Isn't that breaking the chain of com… com …?"

"Command," Curly said, finishing Larry's sentence.

"354 says the chain is important, we have to keep the chain," Mo said.

"Who's 354?" Rowl asked.

"Now you've done it," Curly said. "You aren't supposed to say anything about others in the unit."

"It's all right, we're not here to hurt you guys," Alec said, squatting down to the youngest. "Where is 354?"

"He's at our base. He went to talk to the pointies when the new ones turned up, but they wouldn't talk, they hurt him."

"Is that why you were out last night? Have you guys been taking care of food runs?"

Curly stood straight. "As second in command of our unit it was my responsibility to ensure supplies were secured after our commanding officer was incapacitated."

"How bad?" Alec asked.

Curly looked at Larry, who took over. "We stopped the bleeding, but it was a week ago and he has a fever."

"He ordered us not to go to the pharmacy," Curly said. "Risk level too high, sir."

"But 82… Curly said that we would if he didn't get any better soon, 'cause he'd be too sick and she'd be the officer then," Mo said.

Alec handed the children a pad and pen. "I want a map of where 354 is, and I also want to know everything you know about the pointies, right: numbers, their base, hideouts, if they use weapons, all the intel you got."

Curly and Larry looked up and smiled. "Yes, sir!"

"Is that a good idea?" John asked as Alec joined them.

"You guys wanted them to help."

"That 'kid' is the second in command?" Coflax asked. "How the hell does a twelve-year-old become second in command?"

"Probably because she's the oldest one; Larry should be the Medic, and as for Mo, her job is probably sentry duty, and to stand there and be cute," Alec explained.

"Here, sir," Curly said, handing Alec a bit of paper. "But we have to go with you, sir."

"We know, you're responsible for him," John said, understanding the girl's feelings.

"We're worried about him," little Mo said.

* * *

354 shifted uncomfortably on his mattress. They should have been back hours ago, but with his leg and his arm, he couldn't get out the cave that served as their home to look for them. He just prayed that they were okay. He should have kept 127 there, but he was in a bad way, and he didn't want her there alone if the worst happened; she had been frightened enough when he had appeared back after being attacked.

He had told the children that he was going to see if he could find out information from the new pair that had arrived and taken over from the others that had previously left the little unit alone. Not that he knew what they were, but he was just a lowly logistics unit, so he was sure that he hadn't seen all the various transgenics that they had cooked up. He just figured that they were a new hunter killer design that hadn't made it out of the R&D department before the attack on the base.

He had been drifting in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours. He thought that he could hear voices, but he wasn't sure. When he finally woke up he was somewhere else; it was warm, not damp, and 127 was sitting on the end of his bed.

"He's awake, he's awake!" she yelled, jumping down and running to the other side of the room.

He tried to get up as she came back to him. "Hey, what's going on?"

"We've got lots to report," Mo said excitedly as Larry and Curly joined her.

"Where were you three? You knew what to do," 354 said, reaching out to Curly.

"We're sorry, but we found something, or something found us," Curly said, trying to explain the situation, but her words caused 354 to look around the room, and on seeing the others there, he tried to struggle out of the bed.

"It's all right, it's all right," Alec said, trying to reassure the transgenic in the motel bed. He was a 'ditch digger' just like Luke, a standard logistics unit; not too smart, generally, but they didn't need to be. Butthey could take a pounding, probably the only thing that had saved the kid from the beating he'd received. Christ, he looked all of seventeen.

"Who are you?" 354 tried to say, though his mouth was dry.

"He's an X, and the rest are our friends," Mo said.

"Mo, quiet," Curly said.

"Mo?" 354 asked.

"Here," Alec said, handing him a glass of water as the hunters watched from the other side of the room. "I gave them names if that's all right?"

"You really an X series?"

Alec turned around, showing his barcode. 354 sat up in the bed. "You're an X5?"

He looked around the room, at the three men standing in the corner, and then back to Alec. "You're here to collect us, sir?"

He gestured to the three children. "I trained them as best I could, sir. What with the resources available, they're a little limited in weapons tech, but they are good on hand to hand, and I'm sure that they'll catch up with the rest very quickly, sir. They shouldn't be punished for my incompetence."

"It's okay, no one's going back. Get some rest. I swear, no one is going back," Alec said seriously.

Alec walked back to the hunters while the three children settled down beside the only parent they knew.

"He's been training them?" Coflax asked.

Alec nodded. "Yeah, probably didn't know what else to do. From what I could get out of Larry, 354 here was pulling infirmary duty in the nursery the night Manticore went down. He grabbed Mo and Larry and made it out, found Curly in the woods during the breakout; she must've got cut off from the rest of her unit."

"How did they get here? That Manticore place is a hell of a long way from here," Rowl said.

"Must have seen the Escape and Evade signal and kept on running," Alec said, looking over at the little group on the bed.

"Why was he telling you that they'd catch up quick?" Coflax asked.

Alec sighed. "Why do you think?"

All three of the other men looked over at the children, who were explaining everything they had been through in the past few hours to 354.

"Jesus, they wouldn't of, would they? They're only kids."

"We aren't human, remember? We're freaks," Alec said sarcastically, remembering how many times he had heard that word used around the Roadhouse when the hunters were discussing the situation in Seattle. "If we couldn't do what they wanted us to do, what was the point of keeping us around?"

John sighed. "Can they help us?"

"The kids have a bit, but he'll probably be able to tell us more," Alec said. "He just needs to know that the kids are all right first, and then I'll ask him."

"This is starting to get real weird," Coflax said.

"We have a goblin in bed, surrounded by a miniature yeti and two lizards, but what we really want to be doing is going after some goatsuckers, which we can't do until cat man here, talks to the goblin man. Please, tell me how this is just starting to get weird?" Rowl said sarcastically. He turned to Alec. "No offence."

"None taken," Alec replied.

After talking to 354, or Papa Smurf as John had accidentally named him after Mo had put a red wool cap from the thrift shop on him, they got more information on the chupacabra: there were four of them now.

Three originally, concentrating on the local cattle, not attacking too many, though 'Smurf', had kept the children as far away from them as possible. However, two more had appeared, more aggressive than the others. They killed the leader of the old group and took over, increased the hunting territory, drawing attention to the area by going after greater numbers of cattle and then eventually the ranchers' children.

The hunters readied themselves to go, though as John opened the door to the truck, he was surprised to find Curly sitting in the passenger seat eating an ice cream.

"Out!" John said firmly.

"Sir?" she asked as Alec opened his side. "Why, sir?"

"Because this isn't your fight," Alec explained to the girl.

"But isn't it procedure to have as much intel as possible? 35…Smurf can't go, so that makes me next officer on the line, right? I know the territory and everything."

John looked at the little girl. "You should be in the room watching the others."

She looked at the floor of the cab. Alec sighed. "Larry found the space heater, huh?"

She nodded as Alec looked at John. John grumbled as he got in the cab; if Ellen was there she would be have a few choice words about having the kid coming with them. He thanked God sometimes that she had no idea how often the boys used to fall asleep in the back of the car while he was burning some set of bones in a old cemetery in the back end of nowhere; she would probably skin him alive for it.

* * *

The place that Smurf had described was some old scrubland next to a few old outbuildings on an abandoned spread North East of town. The lair itself, they had been told, was nothing more than a hole in the ground.

Coflax and Rowl were preparing to make a quick survey of the buildings for any signs of life before they smoked the place. That was until Curly piped up about an escape hole concealed by a couple of bushes. She was almost out of the cab to show them where until both John and Alec had to give her a direct order that she was to stay put.

They made a quick recon of the area, finding a couple of more exits, though they covered up all but one.

"Right, seeing how I don't think you two will be too happy about me covering your backs right now, how about I go in front while you guys take the back?" Alec said to Coflax and Rowl as he picked up a tear gas grenade.

"No," John said as he walked to the back of the truck. "You may be stronger and faster, but you'd be blind."

Alec smiled. "Come on, Pop, let me show these two what a transgenic can actually do. And I wouldn't be blind."

"How?" Rowl asked.

Alec shrugged. "Let's just say I was never a morning person," Alec said tossing the gas grenade in the air before effortlessly catching it a gas grenade in the morn. ing was the "oOnly way they could wake me up as a kid."

"You're not serious," Coflax said.

John and Alec looked at the other two hunters.

"No," Alec said slowly. "Immunity, man."

"Really? How?"

John shook his head as he brushed past the others. "Can we get this done before you two come up with more stupid questions?"

Alec slowly went down the hole. The light began to diminish as he continued to crawl down the cramped dark tunnel.

He put his gun down in front of him, before he pulled the pin, and threw the canister in the direction of the large 'room' at the end of the tunnel. They started screaming as the tear gas filled the room.

Alec picked up his gun as one of the larger ones charged him, the spines on its back raised. Alec didn't panic, waited until it was close, until he could see its glowing red eyes; truth was Alec was more interested in the large pair of fangs that seemed to be moving rather swiftly toward him before he pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gun going off caused the other three to move in the other direction.

Alec bent down to the creature that was lying near his feet; he prodded at it, causing more and more blood to trickle out of its mouth. But, even though it was obviously dead, the unearthly screeching continued to come from it. Though, after about a minute it slowly began to quieten.

Alec stood up as best he could when he heard the sound of the other three being taken out. He took a long look at the thing lying dead in front of him; it not only looked hideous, it stank. He wasn't sure what he felt: guilt, relief, justified? The one thing he did know was that he didn't feel numb, like he did back in the day.

Yeah, sure, this was a job, but somehow it was different than before – it was survival –because somewhere in his head something was telling him that the thing in front of him was from somewhere wrong and it couldn't be left out there, not after it had attacked people, not after it attacked Smurf.

Smurf, Rowl and Coflax had jumped to similar conclusions: that these things and Manticore were connected. Hell, when John had taken him on that first hunt, he had thought it.

As Alec started out of the tunnel, he knew what had to be done; the question was how was he going to get everyone else to agree to it.

* * *

Ellen heard the truck pull into the access road a little after two. She was glad they were back as she hadn't heard back from the cardiologist yet. Though she was still hoping that he could help; Billy's chest was getting worse, which wasn't a good sign for his heart.

She waited for the sound of the truck doors opening before she moved; she refused to move before that happened. It was a stupid little ritual really, her sitting there not moving, holding her breath until the truck door went. She knew he was all right when he did that. She smiled before she walked out of the house, only to be greeted by one of the strangest sights she had seen in a long time.

John was carrying a small lizard 'child', while holding the hand of another one, and Alec was helping a 'thing' out of the truck while an almost albino girl watched.

"It's a long, long, long story," John said as he took the children into the house.

After Alec helped the thing get comfortable, he turned, calling out Billy's name. Ellen clenched her jaw, not too sure of what was going on.

"Hey, you're back," Billy said, coming into the living room, stopping a few steps from the doorframe.

John nodded some reassurance to Ellen as Alec proceeded to line up the three children. Billy stared at them.

"Right, if you don't get that you aren't taking orders, here's a new one," Alec said firmly, before pointing in the direction of Billy. "That's your new field commander; you will do what he says, all right? There will be no training other than what he says until further notice. There will be no biting and no roughhousing, got it?"

They looked each other and over to Smurf, who shrugged. "Yes, sir," Curly said, a little confused.

"Bill, come here," John said to his son.

Billy walked over to his dad. "Yes, sir?"

"Sport, we need you to show them how to be kids, all right?"

Billy was confused. "How do I do that?"

"Just be yourself and show them how to play," John said, smiling.

"Right - what are they called?"

John pointed to the children in turn, as he introduced them.

Billy raised an eyebrow before resigning himself to his new task. "Fine." He turned to them. "Come on, I'll show you my room."

As the group left the room, Ellen turned to her husband. "The Three Stooges?"

"Don't look at me, I didn't name them," he said, tossing a glance in Alec's direction.

"What – it works, don't it? Anyway, better than Smurf," Alec retorted.

"Smurf?" Ellen asked, to which John shrugged.

"What's wrong with Smurf?" Smurf asked as he sat on the couch.

* * *

It was bizarre: the four transgenics and the family settling into the house. Alec spent a few hours on the phone before sitting down for dinner.

"They are going to send someone to pick them up, should be here the day after tomorrow."

"Good," John replied. "Can't keep them here for too long, and it ain't just because we don't have the space."

* * *

And as always thanks to the awesome Twinkiecat and Rospberry for looking at this for me.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapters.

As I have said all along please let me know what you think.

* * *

The van pulled into the lot a little after dawn, two days later. Alec, John and Ellen stood waiting beside the truck as the occupant got out of the driver's seat. He moved cautiously, scanning around him as he moved forward, as did Alec. They still weren't one hundred percent sure, how other hunters were going to react to the news of the transgenics.

Alec smiled as the newcomer held up his hands to show that although he was carrying a pistol, he was carrying it between his thumb and finger on the handle, and didn't have a finger on the trigger. As they reached each other, they hugged warmly before the larger transgenic stood back and pulled down his hood.

"Long time no see, Princess, though what's going on with the do?" Mole said jokingly, looking at Alec's hair.

"You're just jealous that you have to use floor polish in the morning," Alec replied. "Good to see you, Mole."

"Yeah, right," Mole said, turning to the van and giving it a nod.

The door opened and seconds later Alec found himself spinning around and around. Ellen raised her weapon in alarm, as did Mole in response, causing John to react in kind, pointing his gun in Mole's direction.

"It's okay, it's okay," Alec rasped, trying not to lose his breakfast. "Josh, put me down, put me down."

As Alec's feet found the ground, Ellen relaxed a little. She lowered her gun, as did Mole and John. Alec was still being held in a bear hug. "Breathing, Josh, need to breath."

"Sorry," Joshua said, easing his grip though he still held Alec close.

"Joshua missed Alec," the large transgenic said, patting Alec on the head.

"Yeah, getting that, big guy, and I missed you too," Alec replied, shaking Joshua off.

"That's nice to know," a voice said from the side of the van.

Alec stilled, looking at the owner of the voice. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Missed you too, Alec," Max said sarcastically. "Jesus, if I knew I was going to get such a warm welcome, I would have dropped by sooner."

Alec turned to Mole. "Who is running things back home?"

"Christ, Alec, everything is taken care of," Max said, walking toward him. "You said it's a pick up."

"Yeah, a pick up doesn't need your attention," Alec said, more than slightly riled by Max's presence; this wasn't going exactly the way he had planned.

"If you are going to be such a jackass, can we get this over with?" she said, turning back toward the van.

"Cindy asked us to bring her," Joshua said.

Mole turned to Alec. "Don't even ask."

Alec exhaled loudly. "Fine."

* * *

The children were trying to get their heads around the concept of board games. Mo was finding playing with Billy's old toy aeroplanes a lot more enjoyable than the snakes and ladders thing – she had kept asking - why were snakes bad? Billy had given up trying to explain it to her, and Smurf couldn't help; he sat there watching, still unsure of things himself, although he did know that they were being cared for at this point. The little girl was running around the living room, making the noises like she'd heard from the big planes that flew overhead their old camp in the cave, when the door opened.

When she looked up, she just stared.

Mole looked uncomfortably at the child before him. "Er…hi?"

Mo took a sharp intake of breath and ran off to find the others.

Alec slapped Mole on the back. "Congratulations, pal, it's a girl."

Mo pulled Larry out of Billy's bedroom as Smurf and Curly followed behind. The two small DAC's stood staring at the larger version of their kind.

"And a boy, too," Alec said, smiling as Mole looked back at the kids.

"Very funny!" Mole replied. "Do you want me to find a box of kittens that I can dump on you?"

"Kids, this is Joshua and this is Mole, and the mouthy one at the back is Max," Alec said, smiling at the children. Smurf stood in the doorway.

"Guys, this is Smurf and ehm…Larry, Curly and Mo," Alec said, rushing the end part.

"Excuse me?" Max asked. "What was the last part?"

"Larry, Curly and Mo," Alec repeated, waiting for the fallout.

"Alec, did you name them?" Max asked seriously, cocking her head to one side.

"They're better than some of the names you've come up with."

She glared at him. "Sometimes I really wish I had gone with my second choice."

"Glad to see that stick is still firmly stuck up your butt, Max," Alec said quietly.

Mole turned to Joshua. "And you said bringing her would be a good idea."

Joshua shrugged his shoulders at Mole as Max strode over to Smurf and the kids.

"They sure did a number on you, didn't they?" she asked the Logistic unit, examining his face.

Smurf nodded. "Thought they were ours, ma'am, didn't think that they could be from something else."

"Something else?" Max asked before turning to Alec. "Alec?"

Alec looked over at John and Ellen.

"Yes, ma'am, as it was we were lucky that 49…, sorry, Alec, was in the hunting party. If it hadn't been him, I don't know what would have happened."

"Hunting party?" Joshua asked.

"Guys, have you met everyone else?" Alec asked, quickly changing the subject.

* * *

John had to be impressed by Alec's skills when he heard Alec explain to the other about finding the kids. He told them they'd heard some story in the Roadhouse about gremlins in New Mexico, and that he and John had gone down there to see what people had been talking about.

When he was finished, Max narrowed her brow. "Right? And you went because of the some sightings?"

"Well, found them, didn't I?"

"Why is it I smell a brand of bullshit I haven't smelt in a while?" she asked. "Oh yeah 'eau de Alec'."

Joshua smiled, as did Mole: they had missed this.

"Maxie, I'm hurt. How can you say I'm spinning you one?"

She didn't say a word, instead just raising an eyebrow, causing Ellen to hold in a laugh as she watched Alec squirm in front of his friends.

"Okay, you want the truth?" Alec said, spinning around to look at John, hoping that somehow that he could get out of being the one who was about to be called crazy. He stood up and walked around the table, gesturing to Max to follow. "I was hoping to ease you guys into this, but if you're going to call me a whack job, I'd rather we did it in private."

Mole turned to follow, but he found himself faced with two small children, one of whom was holding a picture for him.

"Billy said that we should give you a present, so we drew this for you," Mo said, handing the paper to the larger DAC.

"Thanks, kid," Mole said uncertainly, glancing over a Joshua.

Joshua smiled. "Daddy Mole?"

Mole glowered at his friend.

"You've been doing what?" they heard coming from the outside of the house.

Max stormed into the house, followed by Alec. She looked at John and Ellen. "It was nice to meet you but we're going to go." She turned to Mole and Joshua. "Get the kids. We're going, and Alec is coming with us!"

"What?" Joshua asked.

Alec sighed. He hadn't even got half way through his first sentence of his explanation. "No, I'm not, Max."

She turned around to face him. "You are coming back with us."

"Fine, Max," Alec said, realising that she wasn't going to listen and was about to go into full flow, so he hit her, just a quick jab which she easily dodged, but it gave him the opportunity to pick her up and fling her over his shoulder.

"Alec, Alec!" She started trying to find some way to gain some leverage to get free.

"Excuse us," Alec said as he started to march out the house, holding Max firmly over his shoulder as she futilely started hitting him in the kidneys.

Alec continued to walk on as she continued to hit him. "Max, you know that doesn't work with me. Not 'ordinary', remember?"

"You son of a bit…"

"Maxie, language," Alec curtly said, cutting her off as he walked through the front door.

Mole looked at Joshua before turning to John, who was watching all of this.

"He is going to regret doing that," Mole said.

* * *

She had stopped hitting him by the time they got to the garage.

"Will you listen to me?"

She didn't say a single word, and he started to spin around with her still over his shoulder, which after a few seconds made him feel as ridiculous as he looked. "I'm not putting you down until you are willing to hear me out."

She huffed. "Fine."

He put her down, sitting her on one the benches that lined the side of the garage, before resting his hands at either side of her.

"I'm not crazy."

"You stand there and say that you are going on 'hunting trips' and these trips hunt down monsters, and you don't expect me to think that you are crazy?" She put a hand up, stroking his face. "Alec, we can get you help. It hasn't gotten too far yet. Please let me help you before it gets..."

He pushed her hand away. "I'm not Ben!"

"Alec, please. I couldn't help my brother, but let me help you," she pleaded.

"Max, I never said I believed it, I just said that I went with them."

"Then why go?"

"Why do you think?" Alec said. "John believes it, they all do."

"Alec, stuff like this doesn't exist."

"I know that, but think about it; White and his goons deal in this stuff, is it hard to believe that other people do as well?"

"Yeah, but White is a nut job."

"You should see here at closing time," Alec said, sarcastically. He took a step back. "Max, the things they go after, they ain't human."

"Then what? Manticore?" she said bitingly. Was he back to hunting his own kind?

He shook his head. "They don't have barcodes before you ask. I checked."

"What then?"

He took a breath. "There have been hunters doing this a lot longer than Manticore has been around. John's been doing this since the 1980s and he's known people who've been doing it since before that."

"But how?" she asked, confused.

"Way I figure it, is that someone has been letting some old school mutants out for decades, and these guys, the hunters, the only way they can explain what they were seeing was to grab the nearest book of fairytales."

"So why go with them?"

"They're my family, Max, and if I can stop them from getting hurt, I will."

"There are other ways to help them."

Alec sighed. "Yeah, getting John and Ellen to set foot in a shrink's office, Max, I can see that happening. Anyway, that doesn't solve the problem of the things that are out there."

"So, what?" Max asked. "Don't these things deserve to be left alone? Don't they deserve as much of a chance as us?"

"Yeah, they do, but, Max, a lot of these things that I've seen on these hunts are dangerous. These 'hunters' go after the ones they hear about, and to hear about them, kids, campers and families have probably disappeared, as well as a hell of lot of other shit having to have gone down, before they are willing to make a move."

Max was confused. "But Smurf said…"

"That's the thing – it was going to happen at some point. At some point, a hunter was going to come across a bunch of our kind who were trying to stay off the radar. Those kids were damn lucky it was me and John that found them or we'd be burying them. Coflax and Rowl are okay, but from what they understood, a human child had been drained, and they wouldn't have had any problems in ending anything that could possibly have been responsible if it didn't come in anything less than a pink and squiggy packaging."

"They'd kill us?"

"They don't understand us, just as Smurf didn't understand what he was walking into. He thought that he was going to talk to another group of escapees from Manticore."

Max wasn't sure what to say.

Alec continued, "As it is, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to stay here."

"What do you mean?"

"The two we were with know that I'm an X5; they said they'll keep their mouths shut, but what with the kids being here and the fact that the guys in the bar know I'm from Seattle, they are going to start putting two and two together unless I come up with a good reason for you guys being here. And I'm not going to be the cause of problems for Pop and Ellen."

"Alec, what did you guys tell people?" Max asked carefully, not sure she wanted to know what other mess he had probably gotten himself into.

"Don't take that tone with me, Max!" Alec said bitingly. "You were the one that said I had to get along with people here."

"What did you guys tell people?" she repeated.

"Considering we didn't think telling people the whole truth would go down too well, we told people that I was Dean Winchester's kid."

Her eyes widened. "You told people what?"

"What with the dates and all, it's possible that the guy had a kid my age."

"Right," Max said slowly. "And you couldn't think of anything else?"

"What – say I was John's son?" Alec asked.

"It's the truth, isn't it? Genetically, he is your father."

"And how the hell do you think people round here would take that? How would you expect Ellen to play it, considering we haven't told people that I'm not a hundred percent human? If we said that I'm John's son, then she'd have to pretend to act all righteous about him keeping things from her, and we couldn't ask her to do that."

"So now she has to act like a doting grandmother?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Ahh, she kinda said that if I ever called her Grandma, she'd make me sing soprano. She also said she'd do that if I broke John and Billy's hearts. Thinking about it, Ellen actually tends to say that a lot."

Max couldn't help but smile. "I am warming to this woman more and more. How do the rest of your family take it?"

"They're fine; Billy occasionally reminds me that I'm supposed to be his nephew, Pop is all right with it as it means we don't have to answer any awkward questions about things, and as for Molly, she's fine with it, too."

Max took a second before asking the next part. "These hunters – how do we stop them?"

Alec shook his head. "You can't."

"What do you mean?"

"Max, this isn't like White, the hunting isn't organized. It takes these guys half their time to work out they aren't stepping on each other's toes. This is a bunch of independents; half of them believe they are on a mission from God and the other half are on a type of revenge gig."

"So, what now?"

"Max, how many transgenics escaped from Manticore?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"How many of that number are not in Terminal City or in contact with us?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly," Alec said. "At some point hunters and transgenics are going to cross paths again, and unless we do something it isn't going to be pretty, because it won't be four kids stealing chickens that they'll come across."

Max swallowed. The idea of a bunch of nuts with guns taking on a group of transhumans in hiding didn't seem like a good idea. "If we can't stop them, then what?"

Alec bit his lip. He had given this a little thought. "Well, I've been thinking."

Max's shoulders fell, causing Alec to knot his brow. "Don't be like that, Max."

"Fine, what is the brilliant idea?"

"If we can't stop them, why don't we join them?"

"Excuse me?" she exclaimed before trying to jump down.

He stopped her. "Max, think about this; these guys go running after sightings of gremlins, weird dogs, anything that sounds out of the ordinary – the stuff most people, even Logan, think are a product of an overactive imagination and too much of the hard stuff."

"So?"

"Well, if there're more like Smurf and those kids hiding somewhere, who do you think is more likely to come across them?"

"And how is that going to benefit us?"

"Well, we ask John and his friends to keep an eye out for them."

"You want us to ask a bunch of nuts, who should be in straitjackets, to keep an eye out?"

"Yeah, and in return we offer them something."

"Like what?"

"Help."

"Help?"

"Yes, if they have a job that needs some heavy muscle we lend a hand. Max, I'm serious about this. There are things out there that have gone past the point of helping – just like Ben was."

She looked angrily at Alec when he said that. "You don't get to…"

"Max, I'm the only one who can say that. He might have been your brother, but I'm the one who gets the fallout from all his shit. I was the one pulled into Psy-Ops not once, but twice; I'm the one picked up every time the cops get it into their heads they messed up the collar the last time, not you. So, yeah, I get to say it."

She slumped a little, causing him to feel shitty for what he had just said.

"Max, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like it sounded."

"No, you're right, we both have to live with what Ben did," Max replied. "Doesn't mean I have to like you saying it."

"I get that," Alec said. "What I'm trying to say is if it comes to the point where these things decide that it is easier to go shopping for lunch down at the local elementary school, it is time for something to be done, not just for their sake, but for us as well. Because if it does happen, then the ordinaries are going to start pointing the finger in our direction –because even without a barcode some of these things look like they have relatives that now drink at Crash. So tell me how letting them run loose is good for us?"

She had to admit he had a point. "What do you want to do?"

"Talk to the guys who come to the bar. As I said, if we offer to scratch their backs, they might do the same for us."

"If they think that a transgenic is in the area they call us?"

"Yeah, basically. Also, they might be able to help with the cult thing; you and Logan have hit a bit of a dead end with that, right?"

"How do you know?" Max asked.

Alec shrugged. "I talked to Logan."

"You talked to Logan?"

"Yes, Maxie, I talked to Logan. Is there a problem with that?"

"No, I don't have a problem with that," she said, pushing away from bench.

"Did you tell him what you've been doing?"

Alec shook his head. "No."

"What have the two of you been talking about?" Max asked coldly.

"This and that. Why?"

"No reason," she said before walking off back into the house.

He stood for a second, confused. "All right then."

* * *

Joshua stood in the car lot in front of the Roadhouse. He swallowed. There was too much noise, too much; Joshua didn't like, he turned.

"It's all right, big fella, we'll be beside you," Alec said reassuringly.

Alec walked in first, followed by Mole and Joshua, with Max taking up the rear. Both Mole and Joshua kept their heads down as they walked to the bar.

Ellen put down two beers for the transhumans, nodding at them, before they both removed their hoods and turned to face the crowd.

The assortment of weaponry that appeared in response to their action was more than a little intimidating. In the end only two people in the whole bar seemed not to be packing: Molly, who was doing the glass run, and Max, standing beside Joshua, who for the purposes of this evening had decided that packing a gun might not be a prudent idea.

"This is my place, so everybody put the goddamn guns down, or I will personally put a hole in the first one who opens up," Ellen yelled, wielding a pump-action shotgun that seemed to be bigger than she was. "Are you lot hearing me?"

Mole and Max were more than a little shocked that most of the men in the bar, as well as Alec, seemed to follow the woman's instructions. Ellen turned to the two armed transgenics. "That goes for the two of you as well."

Joshua got the gist before Mole did, who took a second before lowering his weapon.

"Don't like the damn thing anyway," Mole said, tossing the gun on the bar as Ellen glowered at him.

"Ellen, what the hell is going on?" someone yelled.

"Yeah, who the hell invited the freaks?" someone else asked.

Somebody yelled 'Cristo' before the room fell silent waiting for a response.

"Okay, okay," John said, walking up to the bar. "You all have been talking about what has been going on at the house, and yeah, we have been putting up some visitors. These guys have come to collect them, but they have got a proposition for you."

"They have a proposition for us?"

"Yeah, my friends here have something they want to ask you," Alec said.

After about half an hour of screaming and jostling, something resembling a dialogue began. Well, it did after Joshua drank a hell of a lot of holy water to make up for fact that Mole was being stubborn and not wanting to do anything for anyone who didn't have the brains to realize that he wasn't the son of an iguana.

Alec decided to take a break, leaving Max do what she did best and play to the crowd. He escaped outside to find Kenny lounging against the wall.

"I expect you feel like top dog, then, or is that your friend?" Kenny asked a tired, stressed Alec.

"His name is Joshua, and no, I don't feel like top dog," Alec replied. "More like Top Cat sometimes – remember that show?"

"Benny, Officer Dibble, yeah, I think so," Kenny joked.

"What are you doing out here?" Alec asked.

"Needed some air, just like you."

"So, what do you think?"

"Of what?" Kenny replied. "Your plan? Or your friends?"

"Both."

Kenny thought. "Could work, if enough get on board. As for your friends, makes me wonder why you came out here."

"What do you mean?" Alec asked. He didn't really like Kenny's tone on the last part. "You know why I came here."

"No reason, just if the human ones are all as hot as her, why did you leave there?" Kenny said. "Can't tell at all that she ain't all girl."

"Wasn't her fault how they created her."

"I know. Can understand if you'd get all confused about who is what in that place."

"Right," Alec said, not sure what Kenny was talking about. "If you're having a problem with this, Kenny go back inside and talk to Max and Mole. This is a good idea for both sides."

Kenny nodded, "Yeah, I can see that. It's just you stroll in here and John and Ellen accept you, and then you bring them here."

"Is that what you have a problem with – John and Ellen not liking you?" Alec asked, knowing that Molly had mentioned something about Kenny being in a mood. "Kenny, the reason that John has a problem with you is that you keep shoving the fact that you are sleeping with his daughter in the man's face every time you see him."

"No, I don't."

"Kenny, last time you were here, you said hi to John and Ellen and then you and Molly disappeared," Alec said. "You can't tell me that you are stupid enough to think that John wouldn't have a problem with that."

"But he has no problem with you pawing over her."

"What?"

"Seems like every time I walk into that bar, there you are, hands all over her," Kenny said seriously. "There is me busting my ass trying to get somewhere with John and Ellen, and there you are getting up close and personal."

"Excuse me?" Alec asked in disbelief. "Me and Molly are friendly, that is it. If you think there is anything else going on then you got something loose in the wiring, bub. She's my family, and there is nothing going on."

"No she ain't, not really, and you know it."

"Well, I think of her that way," Alec replied. "Anyway, doesn't matter if she wasn't, there isn't anything going on."

"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. Maybe I should ask your 'friend' about what she thinks about it? Must have been a while since you saw her," Kenny said, turning to go inside.

Alec faced off against Kenny, both men eyeballing each other. "Leave Max alone."

"Why? Scared she'll want to talk to the likes of me?"

Alec smiled and very calmly said, "Leave Max alone."

"Just want to ask her what she thinks about what you have been up to. She might need someone to talk to about it," Kenny said.

Alec narrowed his gaze as the other man walked off. "Then you'll just prove them right."

"Prove who right?"

"John and Ellen. They always said you had no respect for Molly, and I guess they were right."

Kenny stopped as Alec walked up to him. "But I guess I'll have to help pick up the pieces."

Kenny turned and walked off into the bar as Alec stood there watching him go.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Max asked from the shadows, as she watched the man she didn't know leave.

"Nothing, trying to keep someone in line," Alec replied. "Is everything going all right in there?"

"Yeah, it is fine," she said in a tone that he knew wasn't good.

"Right, and you're out here because?"

"That's my business, isn't it," she replied coldly before turning to go back inside. "As much as it is who I talk to."

He ran a hand through his hair. "And when I got up this morning I thought it was going to be a good day."

* * *

"Think that went all right," John said to Ellen as he got into bed that night.

She nodded. "Better than I expected. Though, wasn't sure if that Joshua guy was going to walk out of there alive after he started howling."

John smiled. "Maybe he should have laid off the Jaeger."

"Maybe. Everybody settled out there?"

"Sure," John said with a nod. "Yeah, Max is bunking in with Molly, and Smurf finally got the kids to go back into Alec's room – think Mo and Larry wanted in sleep in the living room with Mole."

"You can't really blame them. It's the first time they've seen a grown up that looks like them. Probably the first time they've realized that they can grow up."

"Seeing how Billy stopped Mo from trying to rescue the little people in the TV today, I don't think the growing up question plays a lot on the kid's mind."

"She's only a baby," Ellen said, raising an eyebrow. "Curly's taking it pretty hard. Poor kid's trying to hide it, but you can tell that she's disappointed."

"What do you mean?" John asked, confused.

Ellen shook her head. "Sometimes I think you need to get your eyes checked."

"Okay, what did I miss?"

"What do you think? The girl has been sticking close by Billy since Alec's friends arrived," she said, to which John just shrugged. "Larry and Mo have always had each other, and now they get to see that there are others like them, and what does she get?"

"She'll see others like her when she gets there."

"Those kids have been through so much as it is; she won't believe that there are others like her until she actually sees them."

"I suppose you're right," John replied. "At least the four of them will be able to stay together, that's good."

"Yeah, I know, though from what Alec told me that place is no plaza."

John turned to his wife. "They were living in a cave; running water is a gift from God to them."

"I suppose, just wish it wasn't going to be so tough for them."

"When did you get so sentimental?"

"They are good kids," Ellen replied.

He looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"It was you that brought a kid that is part cat and bird and God knows what else going on in him here," she said, huffing.

"Worked out all right, didn't it?" John asked.

"So far," Ellen replied. "You realize that Alec is kinda sulking on the couch."

John gave a little shrug as he got comfortable. "Not my fault that he gave up his room for the kids. Anyway, think he is trying to avoid that girl."

"I thought he had a run-in with Kenny?" Ellen said.

"What about?" John asked.

Ellen shrugged. "Not sure – but whatever Alec and Kenny said to one another caused Max to stop talking to Alec afterward. Just glad that Molly wasn't in earshot."

"Sooner that guy is out of our lives the better," John muttered.

Ellen peered at her husband. "We've been over this. Molly has to make up her own mind and better she does it here than somewhere else."

"Still don't like it," John replied. "Anyway, Alec and that Max girl aren't like that. She's got something going on with that Eyes Only guy."

"Right, just like Alec has with half the county. Seriously, John, what is it with your boys? Dean couldn't spend five minutes in a place without getting a reputation and as for Sam…"

"He wasn't as bad," John said curtly, cutting Ellen off.

"Yeah, but I'm sure if he had put his mind to it he could have been."

"The boys were free and single, and Alec is tough enough to deal with whatever that girl throws at him. Anyway, they'll be gone soon."

"That's another thing – I'm not sure how Billy is going to take it when they go."

"Why?" John asked, not sure how his youngest fit into this.

"I am seriously getting you a pair of glasses, because even though I can stick you in the middle of nowhere at midnight and you can find your way home without a flashlight, something right under your nose and you are as blind as a bat."

"For Pete's sake, woman, what have I missed now?"

"Him and Curly?"

"You said they have been hanging around each other," John replied. "So?"

"Jesus, John, the boy has got his first real crush."

"What do you mean?"

Ellen sighed as John looked at her confused. "He's been making sure she's okay, and didn't you see them at dinner? He pulled out her chair."

"Really?" John said before smiling. "Well, it wasn't exactly what I thought he'd go for, but at least I won't be worried about him disappearing to the local high school to hang around the girls' changing room after swim meets."

"What Dean got up to at Billy's age doesn't come into this."

John laughed. "Who said it was Dean?"

"That is exactly what I mean. What is it with your sons?"

"Come on, leave Billy alone. It's his first crush – better than him running after Gillespie girl that he used to be friends with. Let him run with it, Curly's going to be gone soon."

"John, you should talk to him."

"Thought you said Alec did?" John replied.

Ellen shook her head. "You are not getting out of this."

"I'm not trying to get out of anything."

"Seriously, John, I'm not sure what he and Alec talked about. You're the boy's father, you should talk to him."

"Great."

"John?" she said with a serious tone.

John sighed. "Sure, I'll talk to him."

"And don't think that handing the boy a _Playboy_, and telling him lock the bathroom door as he works it out for himself, is going to cut it this time."

John blushed. "How did you…?"

"What? You don't think me and Bill used to talk about things?"

John's shoulders fell; he remembered that day with Bill, after him failing miserably when he'd tried to talk to Dean. John remembered his friend bursting into laughter and telling him how glad he was that he and Ellen had a girl as it meant that he would not be responsible for that conversation.

"Look, Dean was never good with theory, especially at that age. He was more 'practical' type of kid."

"That explains a lot about Alec, then," Ellen replied with a shake of her head. "Anyway, who is that one trying to convince about that Max girl?"

"They had a falling out, that's all. They'll sort it out," John said. "From what I remember of the girl, the last time I saw her, she's like that all the time with him."

"And then he sulks after?"

"Sometimes, that's what Joshua seems to say. It doesn't mean anything."

"You don't get like that when someone stops talking to you without something being behind it."

He turned on his side to face his wife before smirking. "And tell me what you think is behind it, then?" He put his arm around her waist.

Ellen smiled. "You know what I'm talking about."

"Really? Maybe you should remind me?" he said, pulling her close to give her a long and tender kiss.

She stroked the stubble on his cheek. "John," she said sweetly.

"Mmmm," he said.

"Good night, John," she said, turning her on her side as her husband's face fell.

"You really know how to get to me, woman."

"Winchester," Ellen said, turning off her bedside light. "It isn't going to happen, so good night."

John slumped back onto his side of the bed, letting out a little grumble.

"Think of it as coming out in sympathy for your boys," she replied to his muttered comments.

"If I kick Alec up the ass to get him to do something about Max, can we get back to this?"

"Good night, John," Ellen said, settling into a night's sleep.

* * *

Thanks so much again to Twinkiecat and Rospberry for looking at this for me.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer - please see earlier chapters.

Okay this chapter has no real plot purpose apart from Ellen and Max getting to know one another and I thought it was funny in places so tell me what you think.

* * *

Molly was sorting out the children's collection at the door of the library when Alec walked in.

"Hello there," she said as he breezed past her.

"Hey," Alec said, turning around.

"Thought you'd be with your friends?" Molly asked.

"I was wondering if I could borrow your cell? Mine's playing up, and I really need to call someone," Alec asked.

"Your phone is fine, Alec, I saw you using it earlier this morning."

"Please, Moll, I need to call someone and not have an argument about it."

She sighed and went over to the collection's desk to get her phone. "Here, but don't be too long on it."

"Thanks," he replied as she handed it to him, he dialled a number, which he knew of by heart and waited for a response.

"Speak, OC is listening," the voice said on the other end of the line.

"Hah, I knew it: you are screening your calls," Alec said triumphantly.

"Alec, long time, no talk. Hope things out in the boonies are hanging well."

"Don't let the next set of words that come out of your mouth be that you're busy and have to be somewhere else," Alec said quickly, cutting OC off in mid sentence.

"Why would I be doing that, pretty boy?"

"Why did you tell Joshua that Max needed to be on this one?"

"Why don't you ask her?" Cindy replied.

"Like she'll tell me what's going on."

"Then it's Boo's business, not yours."

"It's mine if she turns up on my doorstep," Alec said firmly. "Cindy, what is going on?"

"Boo and Logan have had a final blow out."

Alec sighed. "What do you mean final?"

"They had a shave with the virus bitch."

"He's all right, isn't he?"

"It was close, too close, but he's fine. Still out to save planet earth from all the bad."

"Then, so what? They'll do their usual, do the dance around each other, and then go back to making the moon eyes."

"Think it's gone too far for that this time, sugar."

"How?"

"Logan took her advice about moving on; man can only take living like this for so long before something had to break."

Alec couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What you're saying is that Logan went behind Max's back."

"No, he didn't – he was all out in the open about it – went home with some girl. Not that he did anything with her; walked the girl home, that's all. And before you get all high and mighty, don't blame the man, she brought it all on herself."

"How? They both always talked about how this more than a physical thing," Alec said. "And seeing how I was usually made the scapegoat in their little melodrama, I'm not going to be defending anyone."

"Good, anyway, as I was saying, she told him to move on and he did."

"She's always telling him that. He's never taken any notice before," Alec said. "You sure this is Logan you're talking about? He wasn't banged in the head or anything?"

"Yep, it was Logan," she replied. "And the poor guy didn't go easy. Max pushed him into it."

Alec ran a hand over his face. "What did she do?"

"She's been telling him that he should stay away from her, that he deserved better."

"So?"

"To prove her point she then gave some poor schmuck a lap dance right in front Logan, right in front of everybody in the bar."

"What?" Alec couldn't believe it. "Little repressed Max went full out stripper in Crash. Why didn't anyone call me?"

"She didn't strip off, just got in this poor guy's face and gave him a little show."

"How did Logan take it?"

"Like he always does – asked me if she was in heat," replied Cindy.

Alec was confused. "How would you know?"

"Men. Don't know shit, do you? 'Course I'd know if something is screwy with my girl."

"What did you tell him?"

"What could I tell him? She had brushed off another guy before that, so even if I was going to try and cover for her, he damn well knew it wasn't itchy time in kitty cat town."

"Oh hell," Alec said

"Then some two-bit blonde chanced her luck, asked if he wanted to walk her home, and he didn't say no. She wasn't even his type."

"But if he didn't do anything with this girl, then what?"

"Told Max what he was going to do. Man has got to have some pride, and she'd only gone and shaken her ass in someone's face. Said that he'd always be there for her and for everyone at TC, but knew that she needed more, and that he needed more, too"

"Ohh – he's never said that bit before."

"True, sugar, true. Though I think he was trying to make himself believe it as much as he was mouthing off to her."

"So what does that have to do with me?" Alec asked.

He could hear the tut on the other end of the line.

"Hey, Max is her own boss, not me. I've got my own scene going on here, and I'd appreciate if she doesn't spoil it for me," Alec said, cutting in.

"Good, 'cause if you think that you now got a clean path to have guilt free fun filled time with her then I'll take a swing at you. Don't think I don't know what happened before."

"Hey, that was once, and at a real bad time for both of us, what with the siege and with me finding out about being a clone and all. I would never have told anyone about it - the only reason you know is that she told you, so she could get it all straight in her head before she confessed everything to Logan," Alec snapped back. "Who, by the way, took it with a lot more good grace than I thought he would."

"What did you expect him to do? Beat you over the head with his old wheelchair?"

"I don't know – something would have been good."

"Don't bitch about the silent treatment you got from him," Cindy said. "He was fine about her telling him that you two had gotten it on because he thought you and her were an item at the time even if he thought the two of you were on the way out. Then you had to go spoil everything."

"She was the one that wanted to be open and honest with him, so what if when he asked about it I told him everything. I didn't come up the whole fake boyfriend thing in the first place, other people did, behind my back," Alec retorted. "You included."

"I didn't do any of the stirring on that one," Cindy said in her own defence.

"No, but you knew before I did," Alec said back. "Anyway, they sorted it out – as he said when he finally started talking to us again, it wasn't like they were 'officially' back together at the time."

"True, but as you said, it was a bad time for us all," Cindy said. "But you are in a better place now, and she ain't."

"Fine," Alec said. "But, why tell Joshua to bring her if you so were worried about what I was going to do when I found out? 'Cause I was expecting Biggs or one of the X6s."

"She's been taking it out on everyone here, and to be honest, she's a danger to herself and everyone around her until she gets her head straight. I didn't know what else to do than try and get her out of here, change of scene and all. Then you called saying you needed someone out there so damn right I told Josh and Mole to take her with."

"So, as a last resort you decide to dump her on my plate. Thanks."

"You're welcome, sweet thing," she said. "Help her sort herself out and don't let her come back till she does. I tried but I'm not getting through. Pretty boy, I need you to fix my girl."

"Cindy, you know you have the lousiest timing in the world."

"Why, what going down there?"

"Cindy, you'd never believe me, and having a Max on the edge right now is something I don't need."

* * *

"Cindy tell you what you want to hear?" Max asked as Alec got back in the house.

"Told me the gist of it," he said, walking over to her as she sat at the table. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She sat there silently as he waited for a response.

Alec sighed, as he pulled out a chair, sat down. "Max, if you think you and Logan are really over this time, the world isn't going to come crashing down if you drop the tough girl act for five minutes and talk about it."

"Why?" she said bitingly.

"Because from what I'm seeing and from what Cindy said, you don't look like you're handling it too well."

She sat there solidly. "How I handle it isn't your business."

"Maxie, whether you like it or not, you are my business."

Her lip began to tremble. She wasn't doing this.

He tried to pull her into a hug as she began to sob, though she pushed away, not wanting to be comforted at that moment, and especially not by him.

Ellen sighed as she caught a glimpse of them through the back window. She turned and headed to the Roadhouse with her bag of supplies.

* * *

Max stepped into the Roadhouse later that afternoon, finding the older woman stocking the bar.

"You have everything you need?" Ellen asked as she finished her task.

Max nodded. "Though I think Mole was wondering if he can hide in here until we go. I think the kids are getting to him."

Ellen smiled. "Saw him trying to scat them this morning. They're determined, I'll give you that."

"Yeah," Max said. "I came over to say thanks for everything."

Ellen shrugged. "We didn't do much, those kids needed a place to stay, and you needed to be introduced properly to the regulars."

"Some of your customers didn't seem to happy about us turning up last night," Max said.

"The guys here may not seem it, but once you pound an idea into their thick skulls they tend to be open minded, have to be in the hunting game What happens now is up to you."

"Yes, though I'll be honest, I can't say I understand all of it, the hunting that is," Max said.

Ellen picked up a glass and started to polish it. "That's all right; you don't have to like us."

"Didn't say I didn't like you, just that I didn't understand," Max replied. "But if it's what you believe, I'm not going to tell you I think you're wrong."

Ellen continued to polish her glass, though she raised an eyebrow at Max. "I think that would be a bad idea, tactically speaking, seeing how you are in my home."

"You understand military tactics?" Max asked as she took a step closer to the bar.

Ellen nodded. "Know a little, picked up one or two things over the years. Anyway, telling your host that you think that they should be in a straitjacket isn't going to win you a meal."

Max bit her lip. "I didn't say that."

"I know you didn't, but you were thinking it," Ellen said, turning her attention to the glass, making Max feel a little uncomfortable.

"Ellen, I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with you," Max said.

Ellen raised her head. "Then don't."

Max nodded her response before taking a second to think of what she was going to say. "As I said, I wanted to say thanks for looking after Smurf and the others."

"They needed a place," Ellen said calmly.

"A lot of people wouldn't have," Max replied.

"You have something sorted for them?" Ellen asked.

Max nodded. "Yes, they'll stay together."

"Really?" Ellen asked. "And what about Smurf? He's a kid. Are you're gonna make him raise three children all by himself?"

Max shook her head. "No, but we won't split them up either. Though if 'Smurf' wants some time to figure what he wants to do then we can give him it, we won't stop him, and he'll be able to see them whenever he wants. If any of them want to go with their own, then they can, but they'll have support no matter what – we won't stop them choosing, we've had too many people telling us what to do."

"What about school?" Ellen questioned. "Those kids should be in school and not the kind that Alec said he went to."

"We have a school for the young ones, a proper one; it's a little rough but it's getting better. As for the older kids, we've even got some into the public system now."

"You have thought this out, haven't you?" Ellen replied.

Max shook her head. "Not just me, everyone did; we want a future."

"Right." Ellen started to polish the glass again.

"I'm not trying to be your enemy here, Ellen," Max said.

Ellen let out a little laugh. "I'm not saying you are. I just want to know that those kids are going to be taken care of. Molly says it's a mom thing."

"Right." Max sighed, not used to the sentiment. "You don't have to worry, we are going to take care of the 'Three Stooges' and 'Papa Smurf'."

"Way I hear things; they ain't any weirder than some of the names you lot have come up with."

"I suppose they are all right as names go," Max replied. "Hopefully our next generation will have more regular names."

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't," Ellen said. "He was only trying his best."

"Who?"

"Alec," Ellen said with a suggestive raise of an eyebrow.

Max shook her head. "There is nothing is going on between us, and if he's said that…"

"He hasn't said anything. Even if there was, it's your business and his."

"Fine," Max replied. "But why do I feel that I'm about to get the third degree?"

"I'm saying that if you need to talk to someone about whatever you have going through your head, then you could do a lot worse than Alec. By the looks of it, he's willing to listen."

Max stood there for a moment before opening her mouth. "No offence, but as you said, this isn't your business and you wouldn't understand."

"No, it isn't, and to be honest I don't want to understand. Though since you been here Alec's been on walking on eggshells, and I'm guessing so have your friends, but if you don't want to talk about it, then fine. What you need then is a kick up the ass," Ellen said, putting down the glass hard on the bar. "Whatever the hell is going on, deal with it, and stop taking it out on those around you."

"I appreciate the advice," Max said.

"Wasn't advice," Ellen replied. "But what do I know? I run an old saloon in the middle of nowhere that serves a bunch of old men who should really know better."

Max nodded. "You do a hell of lot more than that, it seems."

"I'm trying to take care of my own here, Max."

"Your own?" Max asked, slightly confused.

"Yes, I take care of my own and what comes with them. Never thought it would mean I'd be dealing with things that were made in a lab, but Alec was and you have to roll with the punches," Ellen replied. "That means, right now, dealing with you, because whatever the hell you are to him, friend, colleague, leader, whatever, because from the way you've been acting the hell if I know, you are part of his life, even if you are screwed up."

"I'm not screwed up."

Ellen raised an eyebrow. "Girl, you show me a person these days that shouldn't spend some time in therapy, and I'll show you a piece of bacon that flew onto my table under its own power, and don't tell me you have something like that back in that terminal place."

"You never know," Max said, smiling.

"That's better," Ellen said. "I know you were planning to go this afternoon, but you need to get your head straight about whatever the hell is bothering you before you hit the road, so why don't you stay another couple of days, or at least one more night."

"I don't know," Max replied.

Ellen cocked her head to the side. "It'd also give you time to get a better footing with the hunters here if this is going to work."

"Might be better to give them some space, and stops you getting caught in the fallout if they don't take us up on our offer."

Ellen shook her head. "Don't worry about that, we can take care of ourselves."

"That may be true, but Alec said that you have problems of your own at the moment, what with something being wrong with your son. You don't need any of ours," Max explained causing Ellen to bow her head.

"Billy's health isn't going to change because I worry about it. He's doing fine at the moment," Ellen replied. "And before you ask, there isn't anything you can do unless you got a heart going spare."

Max unconsciously touched her chest, feeling the beat from the organ given to her from her brother. "Alec said it was structural."

Ellen nodded. "Yeah, he talked to one of those doctor friends of yours, something about a transfusion. But we were told it wouldn't be helpful."

"I'm sorry," Max said.

"Why are you sorry? Not your fault," Ellen said resolutely. "Just a stupid chromosome that was out of whack, one of life's crap shoots."

"I suppose," Max replied.

Ellen picked up another glass and began to polish it. "Anyway, where there is life there is hope."

"Yeah, there is," Max said before turning and leaving the bar.

* * *

Alec was putting some stuff away in the garage when Max found him.

"Hey."

"Hey," Alec replied. "You want something?"

"Sorry."

Alec smiled. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry," Max said, wanting this over with. "I'm pissed at myself and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Maxie, you feeling all right, or is the cleaner air here getting to you?" Alec asked, not sure how to take what she was saying.

Max exhaled. "I was an ass."

Alec glanced around the garage. "Okay, I get it; this is a joke, right?"

"Fine, don't take it," she said, turning to walk out the door. He grabbed her arm.

"Okay, okay, I'll take it," Alec said quickly as she whipped around to face him. "It's just, I'm not use to getting apologized to, especially by you."

Max glanced up, sniffing. "I'm so not going to do this."

Alec smiled. "Hey, I swear I won't tell anyone." He raised his hand in a mock scout salute. "Scout's honor."

Max smiled. "You were never a scout."

"I could have been," Alec said jokingly. "What is the saying – always try to be prepared."

"Excuse me?" Max replied.

"Okay – not always exactly prepared, but you got to admit I'm damn good at winging it."

Max rubbed a tear away from her eye.

She looked down at the ground. "I was the one that pushed him away, not any of you guys, and I shouldn't be angry that he took my advice."

"From what Cindy said it's not like he did anything with that girl; walked her home, that's all," Alec said.

"Doesn't matter, I wouldn't have blamed him if he had done more, especially after what I did, and in front of everyone as well."

Alec nodded. "No offence, Max, if it was my girl I would have dragged her off that guy the second she started."

"Not like he has that option," Max replied. "Stupid virus."

Alec stilled for a second, waiting for the tirade to begin about how it was his fault.

"I'm not blaming you," Max said, the tears starting again. "Why did I do that to him?"

"Because you're you, and you were trying to do what you thought was right for him, and the only way he was going to listen was you doing something like that." He pulled her close. "Give him time, Maxie – the two of you will be back to the way it was before."

"I don't know," Max replied "I want something easy, Alec. Why can't it be easy?"

"Wish I could help you there, but easy isn't what you really want, Max."

"What do I want?"

Alec smiled. "Maxie, you want the whole package. You're still dreaming about the fairytale. You're want what every little girl dreams of, Prince Charming on his White Horse who swoops in to take on the good fight no matter the cost."

"No, I don't," Max said, burying her head in his chest. "And isn't that a little cynical?"

"You know me. I'm a realist, Max. I'm the 'take what I can get' guy, remember?"

She gave a little smile. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm happy to see this place hasn't changed you too much."

Alec let out a little laugh. "That's me; same old same old."

"Though it is strange to get blind-sided by mommy."

"Mommy? Oh, Ellen."

"Yeah, told me I needed a kick up the ass."

Alec gave Max a little squeeze. "Yeah, well, you're lucky she didn't supply it."

He looked down at her as she looked back at him. Alec coughed as they broke apart.

He stuffed his hands in his back pockets. "You still thinking of going today?"

Max shook her head. "Tomorrow morning, now. Give the kids time to say a proper goodbye to Billy, and let us get things straight with those hunter people."

"Good, that is good," Alec said, feeling uncomfortable.

"I'll let you get back to whatever you're doing," Max said.

"Yeah, get this done," Alec said, glancing at the small pile of stuff that he had been sorting through.

Max turned and walked out the door. Alec watched as she walked off.

He turned, resting his hands on the car parked there, gently tapping his head on the car roof.

"Don't," he said, looking at the polished body of Molly's car.

"Don't you say a word," he said quietly. "It would be wrong, and she's screwed up."

He took a step away from the Impala, turning to go before turning back. "I'm not going there, all right, and don't you say that Dean would. That it would be easier for her because then she could hate me instead of herself. But she still loves the guy. Why she does, I don't know, but she does. Not that I'm saying that he's a bad guy, cause Logan, he's all right in a repressed WASP kind of way, it's just that he's not right for her, Anyway, they have the whole virus thing."

Alec stood for a second staring at the silent distorted reflection he saw of himself on the polished paintwork of the car hood. "Don't look at me like that; I am not trying to talk myself in or out of anything. She can still fix things with him one way or another, and I'm not going to wreck it for her."

He took a breath. "And I'm talking to a car. I am explaining myself to a car… Alec, you are seriously losing it, man."

He heard a commotion outside; Max was screaming. Alec rushed out of the garage only to find himself on the ground with a weight on top of him. It took less than a second for him to focus on what was happening as Max continued to yell.

Joshua was holding her as she kicked and struggled while he was carrying her away. The large weight that was immobilizing Alec was Mole, who along with Smurf, was sitting on him.

"You're not going anywhere right now, Princess," Mole said, striking a match and lighting up his cigar butt.

"Joshua, put me down!" Max yelled.

"No, little fella, no get down," Joshua said as he continued to walk toward the van that the transgenics had arrived in. "And Mole no going to let medium fella up!"

"Mole, you better move your ass or I swear to God…!" Alec said, trying to get leverage to push himself up.

Mole took the cigar out of his mouth. "Ain't happening."

"What the hell?" Billy said as he came out the house to see the strange sight.

"Look, man," Mole said to the boy. "It's for the best."

"Mole!" Alec yelled as he futilely tried to get up. Billy ran back inside the house.

"You'll thank me for it later, don't want to embarrass yourself in front of the family, do you?" Mole said to Alec, who was squirming, causing Smurf to burst into a fit of giggles. Joshua was trying to work out the best way to open the van door while keeping hold of Max.

Smurf continued to giggle.

"It ain't funny, kid," Mole said, looking at the ditch digger beside him.

"Sorry." Smurf wiped a tear from his eye as he continued to laugh. "They said, you know, but I didn't think that it was actually true."

"Well it's true, kid, so stop laughing," Mole said.

"Mole!" Alec yelled. "Get the hell off me!"

"Not until she's out of here," Mole said, nodding in the direction of Max, who was presently kicking Joshua in the shin as he tried to open the van door.

Alec sighed. "Mole, if this about what I think it's about, then it's not happening."

"Sorry, Princess, you would say that," Mole said.

Smurf bit his lip. "X-5's top of the range apart from this one tiny, tiny flaw."

Mole clipped the other transgenic around the head. "I told you this ain't funny."

"Let him up!" Billy said firmly, returning back from the house with a baseball bat.

Mole shook his head, grabbing the head of the bat as Billy made an abortive swing.

Billy turned to see Curly and the other children in the doorway of the house. "Curly, go get my dad!"

Curly looked at the scene, not sure what to do.

"Please, go get my dad!" Billy yelled. The girl nodded, running off in the direction of the Roadhouse.

Alec was more than a little embarrassed, especially as Billy was trying to retrieve his bat from Mole and that Curly had gone to get John and Ellen. He decided to go the more logical route. "And can I ask what makes you think it's that 'time'?"

"That time?" Mole said, raising for him what was an eyebrow, while still holding off the thirteen-year-old. "Oh shit, man, don't tell me you haven't?"

Mole turned to look a Joshua, who was grimacing at this point as Max kicked him again. "Joshua, he hasn't told them!"

"That's nice," Joshua said, not paying any real attention to what Mole was saying as he was busy avoiding a head butt from one pissed off Max.

"I'm asking you, Mole, why have got it into your scaled excuse for a brain that is what is going on?"

"She apologized to Mole for being cranky, said we were going tomorrow, then said she was going to sort things out with you," Smurf replied. "Mood changes – that's a sign, right?"

"She apologized? That is your evidence?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, well, it's early stages, best nip it in the bud now before you two…" Mole looked at Billy, then over at Mo and Larry, before turning back to Alec, "before you two really get into things."

"First of all, I would not, and secondly, she isn't, so let me up!" Alec said, straining to push Mole and Smurf a couple of inches off the ground.

"Told you that isn't happening, Princess," Mole said, raising himself a little before coming down hard, forcing Alec flat.

"She is not in heat!" Alec yelled. "Max, tell them."

"Joshua, I am not, I swear," Max said as she stopped squirming.

"Little fella sure?" Joshua said, still holding on to her.

"Joshua, for crying out loud, smell her. You've got a better nose than me, so does she smell like she's going into it?" Alec yelled to Joshua.

"They're going to tell you what you want to hear, Josh," Mole said.

"Yeah, big fella, I swear, on father's work I swear: I am not in heat."

"On father?" Joshua asked, to which Max nodded, causing the dog man to loosen his grip a little.

"See, Mole, she isn't, and if she was, do you think I'd let you do this to me?" Alec asked, to which Mole didn't reply.

"Think about it, man, we were alone, and if she was, do you think we would have voluntarily left that garage?"

"Not really." Mole conceded that point.

"Mole, if Max was in heat, do you really think that if I was stupid enough to go there even though she'd probably tear me a new one after it was over, I wouldn't have at least tried to introduce her to the back seat of the car in there? Hell, even the hood would do," Alec yelled as his temper rose.

"What the hell is going on here?" John asked as he came around the corner, followed by Curly.

Joshua let go of Max, who turned and pushed the big guy. "Don't you ever do that again."

Joshua hung his head in shame. "Didn't want little fella to do anything she'd regret."

"Thanks a bunch, Josh. I'm something she'd regret," Alec said sarcastically as Mole began to shift, letting him up.

"Don't you dare have a go at Joshua," Max hissed at Alec. "There were two of them who got it into their heads."

Mole took a step back, making sure he was out of the firing line.

"This is my fault?" Alec asked, dusting himself off. "It isn't my hormones that go out of whack. I'm not the one who has been such a bitch lately that when they decide to make a simple apology causes everyone to think that she needs locking up for her own good."

"My own good? I'm not the one who makes the average alley cat look celibate!"

Alec bit his lip. "Go to hell, Max."

"You first," she said, stalking toward him.

At that point Mole tapped Alec on the shoulder, causing him to turn around, letting Mole hit him in the face. It also gave Joshua the opportunity to pick up Max and throw her into the van.

Mole looked down at the unconscious Alec before turning to John. "Better to be safe than sorry."

* * *

Alec started to come around to find himself on the couch with Molly holding an ice pack to his head. "What happened?"

"You lost to a chain-smoking dinosaur," John said, smiling.

"Max?" Alec said, bolting upright.

"She's fine; they finally let out the van after she started tearing the thing up inside," John replied, handing Alec a bottle of painkillers. "Your friend Mole didn't look too impressed at what she'd done. Strong, isn't she?"

"Serves him right; I'm surprised she didn't kill him."

"She would have had Ellen not stopped her."

"Where are they now?" Alec asked.

"At the Roadhouse, getting set up to see who turns up tonight."

"Right," Alec said, blinking. "Don't suppose I got time to kill him before opening time?"

"Were you ever going to tell us?" John asked.

"Tell you what?" Alec replied, trying to get into the bottle of pills.

"About the going into season thing?"

"Going into season?" Alec was confused.

"Yes, Alec, going into season," John replied.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Alec said.

John shook his head. "Alec, it's okay, Joshua told us that it's something in your DNA

"For crying out loud, she wasn't, so why the hell are we having this discussion?" Alec asked.

"Why didn't you think to tell us about this heat thing?" John replied.

"Can we do this after I stop seeing little birds that go tweet, and preferably after I get my hands on a new pair of lizard skin boots?" Alec said, nursing his head.

"Alec," John said firmly, causing Alec to look up. "Why the hell didn't you tell us?"

"Because to be honest some things are personal," Alec replied.

"I get that, but you could have mentioned something," John said sympathetically.

"Oh Jesus," Alec said. He tried to stand up and sat down again quickly as the room still seemed to be moving.

"Understand that being hit in the face by a Desert Acclimatized Combat Unit is like being hit in the face with a sledge hammer," John said as Alec ended up back on the couch.

"Yeah, well give me five minutes; he's going to find out what it's like getting his ass kicked by one seriously pissed off X5," Alec retorted.

"I don't think you getting in a fight with Mole would be a good idea right now." John said as he looked over Alec's shoulder.

Alec turned around to see Mo peering around the doorway with Molly standing behind her.

"It's okay," John said to the little girl. "Come on."

She slowly came out of the room and moved over to the group. John picked her up and placed her on his knee.

"See, he's fine," John said to the little girl, who looked a little nervous.

She tentatively put out a hand, pressing on the bump on Alec's head. "Sore?"

"I'm all right, Mo," Alec said to the little girl, taking her off John's lap. "Got a hard head, so it would take a lot more than one of Mole's sissy punches to keep me down."

The little girl smiled a little before bowing her head. "Mole attacked you, so are you going to fight now?"

Alec shook his head, pulling the little girl into a hug. "No, no fight. Me and Mole will have a few words, but we won't fight."

"Promise?" Mo asked.

Alec nodded. "Yeah, promise."

Molly turned to the child. "Why don't you go and see what Larry and Curly are doing?"

Mo jumped off Alec's lap and ran off.

"She got a little fright when she saw you go down," John said. "Thought you weren't going to get up again."

Alec sighed. "Did everybody see me get humiliated?"

Molly shook her head. "Nope, I missed it, though if you want to repeat it I would be grateful."

"Thanks," Alec replied.

Molly tilted her head. "Well it does explain a few things."

"Like what?" Alec replied.

Molly bit her lip trying not to snigger.

"You got to admit it's funny," Molly said, smiling.

"No, it isn't," Alec replied. "And I can damn well control myself, thank you very much."

"Is there anything else we need to know?" John asked. "Don't hibernate or anything?"

"No, for crying out loud, it's her that goes through it, and I'm the one that gets hit in the face," Alec replied.

"So you were never going to tell us?" Molly asked.

"Why should I have? Not like there is a whole load of females round here with feline DNA is there? And as I said, I can control myself," Alec said.

"Really?" Molly replied. "You sure you don't want to go by the old cat lady's place in town to test that? Understand she has a couple of new Persians that might be your type."

"Ha ha," Alec replied.

"But according to Mole you'd react to whatever smell Max puts out," John said.

"Only when she goes into it, and it isn't just me it is any guy, ordinary included, that spends any real time up close and personal with her. Us X's just get it a little worse than most, because we don't need to get as close and what with the fact its part feline pheromones the girls put out," Alec huffed. "And it doesn't mean I'm going to jump anyone. After I get a sniff, all that happens is I get a little hyper, and more 'flirtatious' with the opposite sex, nothing else."

"A little more?" Molly said disbelieving him.

"Don't look at me like that," Alec said to her. "It isn't my fault. And when will everybody get it into their heads she has not gone into it."

"Right?" John asked.

Alec pointed at Molly. "Girl in the room and I'm not acting like an idiot."

"Thank God for that," Molly joked.

"Now we have done the 'completely embarrass Alec' moment, can I please go and find out what the hell they are doing?" Alec said, in a slight huff.

"I'll take care of it," John said, getting up, before turning to Alec with a smile on his face. "Can I trust that you won't be spraying the furniture or anything while I'm gone?"

Alec knotted his brow, slightly confused, before Molly burst into laughter. Alec sighed, picking up a couch cushion and threw it at John. "Very funny, yeah, very funny."

* * *

"You okay?" Max asked as Alec came into the bar.

"Sure, if we're good," Alec replied.

Max smiled, "Yeah, think I need a good screaming match."

"Glad I could oblige."

She looked at his slightly swollen eye, which was quickly disappearing thanks to his heightened healing ability, "Sorry about that."

"Not your fault," he said as looked over at Mole, who was currently arm-wrestling one of the larger patrons of the bar. "But when you guys are done here, I having a few words with him."

"A few words?"

"Promised Mo that I wouldn't hurt him."

"Do you want me to?" Max asked.

Alec shook his head. "Nah, although I think if you tell the kids that he loves I-spy, as well as teaching them a couple of songs such as 'A Million Bottles of Beer', will probably do."

"You do realize I have to be stuck in the van, too," Max said, smiling.

"Can get you a pair of ear plugs?"

"Thanks," Max said, taking a drink from her glass. "You're going to stay here, aren't you?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah, probably for the best. Can let you know what these guys are saying about this when you've gone."

"Right," Max said with a tinge of sadness in her voice, she turned away from him to see what Joshua was doing.

Alec put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her a little closer. "You need to talk, I'm on the other end of the phone, but you could just talk to Logan."

"Maybe, maybe it's for the best that it went down the way it did," Max said, still watching Joshua.

Alec sighed. "Max, you know what you have to do, and if you don't sort it one way or another then you're a damn fool. Try and salvage something, Max even if it is only some way for the two of you to work together. I know it'll be hard but it's eating you up inside leaving things between you like this and don't say it isn't."

"I know," Max said, resting her head against his shoulder. "Are you going to be safe here, what with these hunters?"

Alec smiled. "Sure I am, Maxie, if anyone starts anything I'll sic Billy on them."

Max grinned. "He's a good kid."

Alec nodded. "Yeah, he is."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapter.

This is a short bit.

* * *

They all got up early the next morning to wave them off.

As the others were helping to pack the van, John handed Max a package.

"Looked into what I could from what Alec told me, but to be honest I've not got a lot of experience with cult worship."

Max opened the package; it contained a few old leather bound books. "Thanks, but don't you need them?"

"Not really," John said with a shake of his head, "They belonged to an old friend of mine, gone now but he'd want them used. Though, there is probably a lot of stuff in them that lot you've already got, but, there may be some other things in there as well, and I've written down some numbers of some guys that might be able to help you a lot more."

"You didn't have to do that," Max replied.

"Max, if these 'breeders' are that desperate to get rid of you transgenics, then I'm thinking that they have a damn good reason for wanting you lot out the way."

Max nodded, not sure what Alec had told John about Sandeman's links to the cult.

"And whatever that reason is, it isn't probably isn't going to be too good for anyone who isn't one of them."

"The enemy of my enemy," Max muttered under her breath as she flicked through a few pages.

"It can be handy sometimes to remember that, but not everyone is out to get you, girl."

Max looked up. "Sorry, force of habit."

"Relax, will you," John said. "You got a long drive ahead of you before you have to put those walls back up."

"Right," Max said.

"Give yourself a break," John replied.

"I'll try," Max said.

John smiled. "Take it from someone who knows, you'd better do more than try or you'll end up having a breakdown before you hit the state line."

Max looked at John for a second before she nodded her response. "And you'll let us know how it goes here?"

"Sure," John said as they started to walk over the van. "We'll keep in touch, and don't worry about Alec, he'll be fine."

"He always is," Max replied as they joined the others.

"Now you got everything?" Ellen asked as Joshua got into the van.

"Should have," Mole said, sitting in the driver's seat. "Although…"

Ellen turned around to see the same sight that Mole had seen. Billy was handing Curly a bit of paper.

"You'll let me know about everything that is going on there, right?"

Curly nodded. "Yeah, you really think there'll be others like me?"

Billy nodded. "That's what Alec said, and there are supposed to be lots of other types as well."

"I don't know," Curly replied. "It won't be like it was."

"You'll be okay. Remember you don't have to be in charge of Larry and Mo anymore."

"But…"

"No buts," Billy said. "You'll get to see all these cool things and do stuff you'd never have gotten to do if you stayed back at the cave."

Curly bit her lip. "I'm scared. It's just been the four of us for so long, and now with all these people."

"You'll get used to it. Joshua and Max seem nice, don't they? So even if there aren't ones like you, you'll have Smurf and Larry and Mo and them, won't you?"

"I suppose."

"See," Billy said, gently pushing her. "You'll be fine."

"And you'll write to tell me what is happening here, right, with all the hunting and stuff?"

"Sure."

"You two," John called out. "Time for Curly to go."

"Okay, Dad," Billy said as both him and Curly turned around and began to walk toward the van. As they got close, Curly turned and gave Billy a big hug and a kiss on the cheek before running off to jump in the door that was Joshua was holding open.

Billy stood there, a little confused, and rubbed his cheek.

Max smiled and gave a little nod to Alec. "We'll let you know when we get there."

"Good," Alec said. "Drive safe."

"When don't I?" Mole replied as Alec took a step away from the van.

"Alec," Max yelled leaning out of the window, causing him to look at her, "Thanks, for you know."

"Don't mention it," he said with a little smile on his face as he gave them a little wave.

Max turned around to the children in the back. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah!" Larry and Mo shouted as the van started moving.

"Okay, remember how it goes?" Max said as she put in the little present she received from Alec.

"_A thousand bottles of beer on the wall, a thousand bottles of beer..."_

"Max?" Mole said, turning to the person in the passenger seat.

Max grinned as she turned her head gesturing to the ear plugs she was currently sporting. "Did you say something, Mole? Sorry, I can't hear you."

Billy was still standing, rubbing his cheek, as the van drew away.

"Ahh, Billy has got himself a girlfriend," Molly said, smiling as Billy looked at his family.

"I…what?" Billy asked, though after a second he began to blush. Molly and Alec started to pick up some of the old toys and things that had been left behind that hadn't fitted into the van.

Ellen turned to her husband, whose shoulders fell.

"Right," John mumbled. "At least someone in this family is getting some."

"I heard that," Ellen said as John started to walk over to their son.

"Come on, Billy, we got to talk," John said, taking the boy by the arm as he started to lead him to the house.

Alec smiled as he watched John and Billy go into the house, followed by Ellen.

"Okay then," he said as he picked up a small crate.

Molly looked to see what Alec was talking about, she watched as her mother closed the door the house behind her. Molly shook her head before standing up. She turned to Alec, "What does 'the hood of would do' mean?"

"What?"

"You told Mole that the hood of MY car would do, when they thought Max was going through that heat thing."

Alec knotted his brow before he smiled innocently. "I was trying to get him to move."

"Really?" Molly said, readjusting her grip on the box she was holding.

"I wouldn't have."

"You are apologizing," Molly said firmly.

"I'm sorry?"

"Not to me," Molly said, starting to walk off.

"Then to who? Max is gone," Alec said, beginning to follow her.

Molly didn't say a word as she walked.

"I am not apologizing to your car, Molly."

"You so are," she replied as she got to the house.

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are."

* * *

Late summer was damp; it seemed to have been raining for forever.

Business was quiet in the Roadhouse due to the weather, although it did give both Molly and Ellen a chance to catch up on some old cases they had been compiling.

Max had called; the hunters and transgenics had slowly entered into an uneasy truce as the first of them turned up at the gates of Terminal City. It had taken a couple of days before the guy had actually talked to someone.

Biggs had taken two transgenics with him when he went with the hunter to meet a small group of men, who the sentries hadn't seen watching Terminal City. The discussion had been brief but had involved a picture being handed over and questions being asked. Max had said that it wasn't much, but it was a start.

At Alec's end, the hunters asked questions about the different types of transhuman, but apart from that Alec found he had little to do, so took to disappearing when he could. Though, his entertainment options were somewhat limited in a town as small as the one he was living in.

John had begun to snap at people, trawling the house like a caged animal as he couldn't get out to hunt. Although the real reason he was at home had little to do with the weather.

Billy caught a bad cold around about August that went straight to his chest, and it didn't seem to want to move. As September rolled in, John and Ellen had to explain to the boy that he wouldn't be going back to school with his friends.

John's mood lightened somewhat when he found some jobs around the house, giving him something to do, considering Ellen had started to get a little territorial over her research. She had hidden most of her work in the office of the Roadhouse to stop him fowling up her filing system. So, she was pretty sure that he wasn't going to mess things up when she had gone for bar supplies, though she hadn't expected the phone call from the clinic.

The clerk at the desk directed her to the treatment room, not that she really needed direction considering the amount of noise that was coming out of the place.

She opened the door to find Billy sitting beside his sister as the doctor was trying to work.

"Will you sit still and let the poor man do what he has to do!" she yelled.

John grimaced, stilling for a second as the doctor attempted to examine him.

"The arm is broken, nothing else, so can we please get it X-rayed and set, and then I'll be out of your way," John repeated in a quiet, though slightly angry tone to the scared young medic, who had been previously been on the receiving end of some colorful language.

"You okay?" Ellen asked Billy, who was wrapped a warm coat.

He nodded his response. "I'm fine, Mom."

"Good," Ellen said, before enquiring how Molly's boss took her leaving work early.

"The boy is fine, and Molly didn't need to come down here or call you," John said through gritted teeth. "And I'm okay, if you want to know."

"Sorry if I ask the people who are not stupid enough to go falling off the roof how they are doing, before I talk to the idiot who was," Ellen replied to her husband, before telling her children to go get something out the vending machine.

"It was starting to leak," John stated.

"Holes in the roof will tend to do that when it rains," Ellen said, finally turning to give her husband some attention.

"It needed fixing," John said as the medic went to arrange the X-ray. "Anyway, I only went up there to see what needed to be done."

"It could have waited until the rain stopped." Ellen thumped him on his injured arm. "Do you know how frightened I was when Molly called and said were she was?"

"I told her she didn't need to call you," John replied. "Billy is okay."

"How stupid could you have been, and what the hell were you thinking, driving yourself and Billy here?" Ellen asked.

"I thought, 'I've fallen off a roof and busted my arm, maybe I should see a doctor'. That is what I was thinking."

Ellen sighed. "John, I get you're bored."

"I'm not bored. I'm in pain, not bored," John retorted.

Ellen sighed. "For you it's almost the same thing. Hell, John, I half expect to get a call from God knows where when you are on the road. I don't expect to get one because you've decided to become an extreme handyman!"

John grimaced as he held his arm. "Damn roof still needs fixing."

"Don't think that you are getting back on that roof anytime soon," Ellen replied. "I'll do it."

John sat up. "You will not."

"I survived fine for years before you moved in, John Winchester."

John sat down again. "Alec can do it."

"We'll see," Ellen said as the orderly came in to take John to get his X-ray. "I need to give him a call, anyway."

"Why the hell do you need to do that?" John asked as he got into the wheelchair.

"Because I can't drive your damn pick-up and my car at the same time, and Molly has work," Ellen retorted. "He'll have to take some time out of his busy social schedule."

"I can drive my own pick-up."

"No, you can't. You'll have to have that arm set, which means you will be taking something," Ellen said firmly. "And don't get any ideas that you aren't because if necessary I will stuff the pills down your throat myself."

John turned to Ellen. "I never realized how much of a piece of work you are actually are."

"You better believe it," Ellen said.

"Wouldn't change you."

"As if you could," Ellen replied, smiling. "Same goes for me, you stupid old fool."

* * *

Alec helped the John back into the house; the morphine hadn't exactly worn off yet.

"Get him in here," Ellen said with a shake of her head.

Alec maneuvered the sleepy, but happy, John Winchester into the bedroom and dumped him on the bed.

"He'll be fine when that stuff wears off."

"More like a bear with a sore head," Alec replied, before smirking. "Yeah, he'll be back to normal."

Ellen nodded. "Hope we didn't disturb whatever you were doing."

"Nah, had a bum hand, anyway," Alec said, which had been true; the pot had been small, as well, so he hadn't lost anything when he'd left the game. "Do you want me to look at the roof?"

"It can wait. Don't need another trip to the damn emergency room."

Alec grinned. "Emergency room? Me? Please."

"Don't say that you always land on your feet," Ellen said.

"Who am I to fight genetics?" Alec replied.

"There you are," John said drowsily to the two of them.

"Yeah, we're here," Alec said.

"Didn't know where you were," John said. "Looked for you, but couldn't find you."

"John?" Ellen said, looking over at Alec before turning to John.

"Sorry, Deano, I tried, but we couldn't find you or Sam or Jo – found Alec, though," John continued.

John shook his head as Ellen explained to him that he was home and that he had been given a shot when they set his arm.

"It's okay, sweetheart," John said gently, stroking Ellen's face. "Alec's a good guy; Dean will like him."

"I know that, but that isn't Dean," Ellen explained.

"Not Dean," John said. "So it's the other one, then?"

Alec tensed. "What?"

John turned to him. As he started to speak, his words became more and more slurred. "Alec won't talk about you, not sure he even met you, not your fault. He doesn't think I know."

"How?" Alec asked as John slipped into unconsciousness.

Ellen sighed. "Max didn't say when she was here."

"Joshua," Alec stated, answering his own question.

"Yeah, thought we should know. Didn't come into your head to ask him not to tell, did it?"

"To be honest, no," Alec replied, realizing that he had been so worried about Max or Logan saying something that he had forgotten that there was one other person who knew his link to Ben.

"He wasn't going to push you on it," Ellen said as John started to snore.

"Okay," Alec said. "But I take it you want to know."

Ellen shook her head. "Figured if you didn't want to talk then there was a reason."

Alec clenched his jaw; part of him wanted to scream, '_Yes, there is a reason, a fat big body count of eleven reason'_. "I know he's dead but I never actually met him."

"Joshua said that, and when you're ready to tell us, I guess you will."

Alec stood in silence for a second before turning to go.

"Alec," Ellen said. "He didn't mean to call you Dean."

"It's okay Ellen, it's the first time he's ever done that and I've been here, what, 10 months? I know it's the morphine talking," Alec said as he turned to leave, "I know how that stuff can get to you – hell last time they tanked me up with the stuff I swear I saw Mole in a pink tutu swearing his undying love to a pineapple he's gotten his hands on."

Ellen smiled, "How do you know he wasn't?"

Alec stopped, "Not going there!"

Ellen smiled, before turning serious "Alec?"

"It's okay Ellen, I'm fine. Hell there are worse things he could have called me," he replied, lightly as he left to get his bike out of the back of John's pick up truck.

* * *

A/N not sure if I should put this here or wait till the next chapter to explain - which if all goes according to plan should be this week.

The rating is going to change for the next chapter - it is going to go M, due to - well if you read it, you'll see why. but basically this is the end of the fluffy stuff people, hope you liked it and will keep reading when I put the darker angsty, lets rip everybody apart, stuff up and as always let me know what you thing, like, dislike or are undecided.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapters**

**As promised new bit this week and have changed the rating. Hope you - well hope you still read it as it is a bit on the angsty side.**

**Let me know what you think about it good bad or indifferent.**

* * *

Ken Gregory felt kind of pleased with himself as he drove up to the Roadhouse. The sun had begun to beat down, beginning to dry out the ground from the long rainy spell. He hadn't told Molly about what he was going to do; figured that even though he probably could do the job by himself, asking for John Winchester's opinion would earn him some brownie points.

"Hello, John," Kenny said as he found John at the back of the Roadhouse.

"Ken?" John said coldly. "Molly ain't here."

"I know," Kenny replied. "I'm here to see you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was wondering if I could have your input on something."

John sat, looking at the file that he had been handed: attacks in a small town in Kentucky appeared to be following a cycle which had started up again. Local officials had reacted to the disappearances by culling the cougar population in the region, which had grown much larger thanks to the Pulse.

It was one of the few miracles of the damn thing. The halt in urban spread, thanks to the attack in 2009, had given many of the plants and animals that had been on the brink at the turn of the century some breathing space.

According to Kenny, they possibly had a fairy cat on the prowl, and if they didn't catch it this time then it wouldn't be returning to this area for another fourteen years. He just needed to check that he had his figures right.

Everything seemed to tie in, but something at the back of John's mind didn't like it, and it wasn't because it was Kenny who was the one that had handed it to him.

"So, what do you think?" Kenny asked.

"It seems to tie up, but there is something missing."

"Like what?"

John looked at the young man sitting in front of him. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Kenny said, not too impressed.

"No, I don't know," John said.

"I've got a few weeks, if I'm lucky, before it goes underground again."

John sighed, remembering when he was as impatient as the kid in front of him, but then again he always had the thought of Dean and Sam sitting waiting on him in a motel somewhere to stop him jumping in head first.

"I can't put my finger on it but something is wrong, something doesn't add up."

"Unless I want to wait until it turns up in another decade, I want to go there as soon as I can."

"You asked my opinion, and you got it," John replied. "But I can damn well see that you made up your mind about what you were planning to do before you handed me the damn thing."

"Fine," Kenny said calmly. "If you think something is up then come with me, see the place, figure out what is wrong and help me get it."

John thought for a second before feeling the weight on his arm. "Stupid roof," he muttered. "Maybe taking someone else along would be a good idea on this, Ken."

"But you're not interested."

John raised his broken arm. "Not that I'm not interested."

"Right, you know someone, then?" Kenny asked.

"Place has been pretty quiet," John replied.

"So you wouldn't recommend anyone?"

"I didn't say that. Starting to dry up out there, should start to pick up, you could see who is in tonight."

Kenny nodded in agreement.

Unfortunately for Kenny, the bar that night was quiet. It seemed like hunters were avoiding the place, though it was usually like that the same time every year: people scattered to where ever it was they scattered to as the weather turned. Those hunters that said that hunting was a 365-day-a-year thing were either damn liars or hunted only where it was warm all year round. Most hunters hit research mode, double and triple-checking their facts before freezing their asses off staking out possible leads as the rain and snow started to come down.

Most of the guys he talked to weren't interested in taking up anything new at that moment, each having their own jobs that they were looking into.

He even resorted to asking Alec, who had turned him down as he didn't understand what they'd be hunting. Not that he could really fault the guy for it – he was a rookie – and if Alec didn't understand what he was looking for, then he wouldn't be much use on a hunt.

He had accepted that he was doing this one alone when he found her standing with a bag beside his car.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Molly asked.

Ken shook his head. "You can't be serious?"

"It isn't really a two-man job, right? My dad's being cautious," Molly replied. "It's about time that I went out. You're always saying that I should get out there, so why not now? But if you don't want me to cover your back…"

"Molly, course I do," Kenny smiled. "But are you sure?"

"Yes. About time I got my hands dirty," she replied.

"With this job, I can't guarantee that," Kenny said as they got in the car.

* * *

Ellen threw her bag in the back of the Impala as Alec sat and waited; they'd found Molly's note that morning, and she and Kenny had a good ten hour start on them.

"I'll let you know when I find her," Ellen said as she got into the car.

"I can go," John said. "My arm wouldn't hold me up that much."

"John, it's your damn turn to sit and wait. Right now I need to find my little girl," Ellen said as the panic rose. "I can't lose her."

John pulled his wife close. "You'll bring Molly back here, bring him back here, and this time you let me wring his goddamn neck."

John turned to look at the driver of the car. "Alec, you take care of her, won't you?"

"Sure, Pops. Have them both back here before you know it."

* * *

They finally found Kenny in the one of the two motels in the small town that had suffered due to the disappearances and deaths of a number of tourists over the past couple of months.

He was nursing a deep gash on his arm, a couple of bruises, and a large dent in his pride before Ellen had even started on him.

Alec had to hold her back to give Kenny a chance to explain why Molly wasn't with him.

"It was supposed to be a simple hunt. I shot the damn thing, and it didn't go down; she shot it, too. Clean shot, right through its heart. It fell, but it wasn't what it was supposed to be," Kenny said as he sat with his head in his hands.

"What the hell was it, then?" Ellen asked.

"I'm sorry, Ellen. I thought I had it all covered, but I was wrong. The cougar went down, and then she wasn't her anymore; I couldn't keep hold of her. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"You bastard!" Ellen spat out.

Alec turned to Ellen. "What was it?"

Ellen looked at the sullen man sitting in front of her. "A damn spirit, wasn't it, Kenny? An animal spirit has got a hold of my little girl, and you are telling me 'sorry'."

"We got to find her before she does something," Kenny said.

"Right, where do we start?" Alec asked.

"I'm not sure," Kenny said. "Looking over this stuff again, putting a spirit into it, it seems to have kept to mountain lions. If it has jumped to people before now, then it hasn't stayed in them for too long."

"Right, and what does it do when it takes control?" Alec asked.

"Whatever the hell it wants to," Ellen said, looking at a map.

"So we find her and get this 'spirit' thing out of her?" Alec asked. He hadn't had a lot of experience with the spirit or possession side of hunting; the few salt and burns he had been on hadn't made a lot of sense, but they seemed to give the people involved some reassurance.

Either that or the desecration of the grave of someone close to them, friend or not, had been enough to scare the person behind the so-called 'haunting' to stop whatever they had been doing.

"You're not coming," Ellen said to Alec.

"What?" Alec asked. He'd expected that she may have told Kenny that he was staying, but not him.

"Alec, do as you're told, stay here. Kenny and I will be back soon."

"Ellen, I promised John that I'd make sure nothing happens to you. I can't do that if I'm not with you."

Ellen shook her head. "I'm not putting you in the firing line, too damn risky."

"What are you talking about?" Kenny asked, causing Ellen to turn to him.

"We get Molly out of this and then you stay the hell away from my family, you hear me, Kenny?"

"Ellen, I'm going with you guys," Alec argued as Ellen faced down the other man.

Ellen didn't break eye contact with Kenny as she replied to Alec's statement. "Alec, you are staying here. I'm not risking having that thing have a brand new type of cat to play with."

"Ellen, I can take care of myself," Alec said, causing her to turn around.

"Alec, you are staying here and that is an order."

Ellen put a hand on his shoulder as Alec clenched his jaw. "Alec, please, I'm scared enough. I can't take a chance that I could lose both of you. If this thing jumps again, I don't know where it will go, but if it jumps into you and it changes you. You move too fast as it is, so the only way to stop you would to be… Do you understand?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"What do you mean 'brand new type of cat to play with'?" Kenny asked Ellen before finally putting everything together. He glared at Alec, his face barely concealing his disgust, "Christ, you're one of these those freaks, aren't you?"

"The term is transgenic, if you don't mind," Alec said before turning to Ellen. "I'll stay, but if you aren't back in four hours, I'm coming after you."

Ellen nodded. "We'll be back before that."

* * *

Alec sat at the edge of the motel bed as the sun went down and the minutes ticked by. They had been gone three hours and twenty-four minutes before he started checking the kit he had brought with him. Three hours and thirty-nine minutes when he started folding up the map that showed the planned search pattern. Three hours and fifty-seven minutes when he left the room and headed to the car.

* * *

Thanks to his enhanced eyesight, he didn't have to worry about the lack of light to navigate through the trees. Actually, the lack of light made finding their flash lights easier. Kenny was lying unconscious beside his. Alec was checking that the guy still had a pulse before he heard the yelling. As he headed towards the noise, Alec found them, both precariously close to the edge of a steep drop.

Molly was snarling as she knelt over Ellen, one hand clamped around her throat as she choked the life out her mother. Alec barrelled into Molly, knocking her off balance and causing her to release her grip on Ellen, but he kept moving, too, slipping down the side of the gorge that he had sent Molly down.

As he fell to the bottom, Alec found himself in a small group of trees; Molly was there too.

She was snarling as she got to her feet and started to circle him. Alec watched and waited for her to make a move. She wasn't his friend at that moment. When it was one on one, you had an opponent, an adversary, someone to overcome, someone to bring down. It was about tactics as much as skill; that was what he had been taught since as far back as he could remember. Unfortunately, right now that meant facing a feral Molly.

She lunged at him, which he quickly countered, but not before he worked out that 'possessed' Molly was a hell of a lot stronger and faster than plain old sarcastic, stubborn, 'I work in a library and know a lot of little facts that would really bore the rest world' Molly.

She didn't back down, didn't seem to get tired, matched him with a level of ferocity that made up for what she lacked in training, but Alec's head was starting to fog over. He was still able to concentrate on what he was doing, still able to focus on the battle, but something was happening to him.

She was getting closer again as they continued to circle one another.

Alec bared his teeth. Molly suddenly scratched at his face as she snarled and hissed at him. Alec shook his head, trying to clear the fog that had begun to cloud his thoughts.

She moved quickly, knocking him to the ground. He struggled, trying to get her off him as she clawed at his face and chest. He reached out grabbed her by the hair. She lashed out for a second before she stilled, allowing him to pull her face closer to his. Her breathing hitched in anticipation as she surrendered, letting him flip her, pinning her to the ground.

It was then that a little voice in the back of his head finally woke up and told him what the hell had caused the fog that seemed to leach into every pore, just as they started to tear at each others clothes. How he had felt something like this feeling before, but never so strong, never to the point where he found that he couldn't take a step back and walk away.

However, by the time he had finally realized what was happening, it was too late; he couldn't stop himself. Something else was in control. His body had turned traitor, and all that what little of his mind that remained conscious could do was scream, 'No'.

* * *

John looked at the trail, continuing to follow the path that had been left by them. Ellen had been sure that the two of them where together when she had called him to come and find them three days ago. The trail at least still bore that out: two set of tracks.

Kenny had at least stuck around to help with the search, not that he had much option considering Ellen was stuck at the motel with Billy.

The trail led to a small cave; at least the two of them had been somewhere dry. Kenny had found the carcass of a small deer; its neck had been snapped and it had been hidden in a tree nearby, and from the looks of it, bits of it had been torn off.

From what John could guess, it had been killed a couple of days before, and they had stashed it as a food store while they were otherwise occupied – not that John really wanted to over think that right now. All he wanted was them to be all right, to get them home, to get them free from whatever was making them its meat puppets. Anything else could be dealt with after that.

John had sent Kenny around the back to make sure there wasn't a back way out, although it was more to do with the fact that he really didn't want to deal with Kenny as well as anything else he might find.

He moved cautiously through the cave; it was warm and dark. He could see a figure lying at the back, and he moved forward, raising the weapon he had brought. It was Alec that was lying there, asleep on his side. He wasn't wearing any shoes or a shirt, but there he was, stretched out on the floor of the cave, asleep.

John took a small step forward, careful not to make a sound or be seen in case Alec woke up; it was then he saw that Alec wasn't alone. An arm was wrapped round Alec's waist; John sucked in his breath. Molly was there, curled up against Alec's back.

John stilled as he watched Molly raise her head and proceed to nip at Alec's shoulder, causing Alec to lazily swat her at her. Molly, who was wearing only Alec's shirt, hissed. Alec snarled back at her as he shifted his weight until she was under him, his hand slowly moving up her leg. She mewled a little as Alec stopped for a moment, sitting up before he gently turned her on to her front. He took his time moving his hands down her back; she raised her hips in response. He pulled her up toward him, causing her to yelp a little in pain as he tightened his grip.

John felt sick to his stomach as he watched them. He took a step forward to get a clearer shot before it got too far, before they… Molly turned her head, snarling as she realized that she and Alec were being watched, causing Alec to look for the intruder. John raised the gun and fired, hitting Alec square in the chest as he stood up, though it barely seemed to slow him down.

It took four shots the from tranq gun he brought to bring Alec down. The mixture he was using was a special cocktail, the darts containing as much tranquilizer as rock salt dissolved in holy water.

It only took one of them to take down Molly, although from her reaction of pained screaming and the steam emanating from her; it was the holy water that seemed to cause the most damage.

Kenny came around to the front of the cave as John came out the front carrying Molly, his coat wrapped around his daughter. Kenny asked questions, but John didn't say a word, gently putting her down to allow him to perform the rite to free her from the spirit.

Both men took Molly back to the motel for Ellen to care for. John left Kenny behind to return for Alec.

Kenny stood in the doorway not sure what to do.

"She'll be all right," he said. "She doesn't have to remember any of it, what that spirit or that thing did to her."

Ellen turned to Kenny. "Are you that naïve? She won't remember?"

"Yeah, she won't remember."

"She'll remember, you'll remember, and that 'thing', as you so nicely put it, will remember."

"You can't be serious."

"Go into that room and look at her," Ellen said. "She's in Alec's shirt, and from what John said, Alec is lying in a cave in those hills not much better. They've been like that for the past three days."

Kenny looked away, causing Ellen to glare at him. "Makes you feel sick, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Kenny said, lying through his teeth.

"Maybe not," Ellen said sarcastically. "Considering you all but outright accused her of cheating since he turned up."

Kenny clenched his jaw. "I have not."

"Don't think I don't know that you haven't. You've been needling her about it, him about it; just because they never said anything, don't mean I didn't know."

Kenny didn't say a word as Ellen continued.

"For some reason she wanted to be with you, thought you were worth it. I couldn't tell her otherwise. She only got in that car to prove to you that she cared about you, only put herself in harm's way because of you," Ellen said. "And now you can't even look at her without seeing the two of them together, can you? Make you feel proud?"

"I'm not leaving here without knowing that thing is dealt with."

"That thing has a name, it's Alec, and you damn well put him in that position. You went into a job half cocked, a job you had been told was off, but you decided to go anyway, and you took my girl with you. You were the lead on this. You knew damn well she didn't have the experience. You allowed my daughter to be taken, and because of you, Alec got taken. It was your fault that the two of them ended up like that, that they…" Ellen stopped, taking a second to think of what to say, "Because of you, my family is paying the price, even Billy. He shouldn't be dealing with the stress of this."

"I'm sorry, Ellen."

"Sorry doesn't cut it," Ellen said curtly. "John will be back soon. Do you understand what that means?"

Kenny clenched his jaw before he nodded his response.

"So, prove to me that you are the stupid little coward that I've always taken you for and go, and pray to God he never finds out where the hell you are because I won't stop him coming after you," Ellen said before turning to go into the motel room.

John pulled up in the pickup truck as Ellen continued to tend to their daughter.

"Where's Kenny?" John asked as he came into the room.

"Gone," Ellen said as Molly started to wake up.

"Mom?" she asked, she looked around the small room, "Where am I? Mom? "

"It's all right," Ellen said, moving over to still her panicking daughter, who was scrambling to get up.

"Where is Alec?" Billy asked as his mother calmed Molly down.

John swallowed. "Billy, stay here, okay?"

Ellen shifted off the bed as she looked at her husband. "Billy, stay with your sister."

"Why?"

"Stay here," Ellen said as John turned to leave the room.

She followed him outside. "Where is he, John?" John didn't reply.

"Where is Alec?"

John refused to move as she went to the back of the truck. Alec was lying unconscious under a tarp.

She turned to see the gun in John's hand.

"No, John, you can't."

"Ellen, she's covered in bites and bruises. She must have tried to fight him when they…"

Ellen lifted the tarp to get a better look at Alec. "So is he. John, they fought each other."

"I couldn't get it to come out of him," John stammered as Ellen took away the gun. "I performed the rites and nothing happened. Ellen, it's still in him, and I can't get it out."

"John, that doesn't mean you have too…"

John shook his head, "He wouldn't want that thing walking around in his skin Ellen."

"But you don't know that it is," Ellen said, "The thing that was in her could have been controlling him. From looking over Kenny's stuff over the past few days, some of those attacks involved more than one cougar. It could have just taken over the cat part of him."

"What?"

"John, this is Alec here," she said carefully, "And even though you know what he is, you don't see it sometimes, because you don't want to. It isn't because you don't love that boy, you do, but you see him as a way to make up for some of your mistakes with Sam and Dean."

"What are you talking about?"

Ellen stood there in between John and the unconscious Alec. "John, Alec isn't all human; there is a part of him that is different, a part he keeps to himself because it frightens him because he thinks it frightens everyone else."

"So?"

"Things might work differently for him. What did he say about that heat thing when Max was here? That there are chemicals and things that make him act out of sorts, what if it whammed him with a load of those or something."

John shook his head, "No, he said even when that happens he's still in control."

"Are we sure of that? What if that spirit took Molly dosed him with so much of the stuff that he wasn't."

"So, you saying that what took over Molly brought out the real him? The animal in him? That there was nothing possessing him at all?" John asked, his voice tinged with confusion and disgust.

"I don't know, it's possible. John, you know damn well that you don't need to have something crawling inside to make you act like its puppet."

"But that would mean that at least part of him knew what he was doing. She was possessed, she was trapped inside herself, he knew it and he still went ahead and …." John said angrily, "I brought him into our home and now he's…"

"Stop it, John," Ellen said, cutting him off. "Molly would have killed me if it wasn't for him. This is Alec here, our Alec, you can't know, you can't be sure of anything until he wakes up."

"What if the thing that wakes up isn't the Alec we know? What if it's the animal or something worse?" John replied, running his hand over his face. "What if he can't wake up? I put four darts in him, that's enough to kill an elephant."

"John, he's breathing, and you don't know what he's going to be. Give him a chance, please," Ellen pleaded, trying to hold back the tears.

* * *

Alec stirred. He was sore, stiff and his head was cloudy. He swallowed, finding that his mouth was dry – actually, it felt as if he hadn't drunk anything for days, not something he had done since his time at Manticore. He tried to sit up, and finding that he couldn't, felt panic rise in him; his hands and feet were bound securely to the bed he was on.

Someone held his head, stilling him, allowing a glass to be brought to his lips.

"It's water, sip it slowly," John said coldly.

Alec looked at John, not sure what was going on, taking a second before doing as he was told. As John put the glass down, Alec looked around him; he was in one of the smaller rooms of the Roadhouse. There was one of those key things that he's seen pictures of in John's books drawn around the bed that he was tied to. The only other furniture in the room was the chair that John had returned to, beside which sat a shotgun.

"What's going on?" Alec asked tentatively.

John brought the gun to his lap. "What do you remember?"

"Remember? What do I have to remember?" Alec asked. "Pops, what's going on? Why are you…?"

John primed the shotgun. "What do you remember, Alec?"

Alec swallowed, his heart in his throat; he always knew that he was never going to go out peacefully in his sleep, but he never thought it would be like this. "I…Molly… I remember we were after Molly… Is she okay? Did you find her?"

John nodded.

Alec slumped. "Thank God. I remember we were in the woods, and I couldn't get her to stop and …" Alec tried to sit up again as he remembered what happened next. "Oh God, no, please tell me no, tell me I didn't. Pop, I didn't, did I?"

John silently watched Alec break down in front of him, begging John to tell him that it wasn't true.

Alec stopped, taking a breath as John sat there resolutely refusing to say a word.

Alec turned and looked John squarely in the eye, "Kill me."

"What?" John asked, surprised.

Alec pleaded, "Please, kill me."

John clenched his jaw. "No."

"You don't understand. I was out of control, I can't become like… Kill me, please."

John stood up. "No."

"I couldn't stop myself. John, please, if you can't do it, give me that gun and leave."

"I'm not giving you an easy out," John said, picking up the gun before he left the room.

* * *

It was three days before John entered the room to untie him. He had only seen him since he had woken up, though John had barely said a word to him.

"Bathroom time?" Alec asked quietly.

John said nothing as he unlocked, the restraints.

"John?" Alec asked confused as John unlocked the handcuffs.

"No," John said coldly.

Alec turned his head to look around the room for a weapon, causing John to still after he finally freed Alec, "I told you the other day that you are not taking the easy way out."

"I'm sorry," Alec said in barely in a whisper as he turned and faced the wall, curling up into a little ball on the bed. He began to cry. "Tell her, I'm sorry."

"Get up and get dressed," John said, not replying to what Alec had said. "You look like shit."

John left him alone in the small room after that with the food plate, a glass of water, and a change of clothes on the floor, letting Alec disconnect from the world.

* * *

It was a little after dawn when he left the room, rooting around in the back of the Roadhouse, but he couldn't find what he wanted.

"You looking for something?" John asked as he caught Alec looking around the bar.

Alec took a breath, "You cleaned out the place?"

"I told you, you aren't taking an easy way out," John said curtly.

Alec turned around to face him. "How is she?"

John closed his eyes. "As well as… She doesn't blame you, blames herself."

"Wasn't her fault," Alec said. "I should have done as Ellen first said. I should have stayed in the motel."

"Maybe you should have," John said coldly, leaving Alec alone.

* * *

Alec stayed near the Roadhouse and garage. He didn't speak to anyone, not that there were many customers at the bar; Ellen had closed up shop when it happened.

He wasn't too sure why he stayed, but he couldn't seem to make himself leave, and it wasn't because he didn't have anywhere he could go. At least he stopped outwardly trying to goad John into doing something.

John barely said a word. He didn't responded to Alec's actions, whether it was Alec trying to make him angry enough to do something or him asking what he could do to make it better, should he stay or go. Instead John made his feelings toward Alec clear enough with a look or cold, firm but simple 'No' whenever Alec could get anything out of the man.

Most of the time John watched Alec, in case he got too close – to Ellen, to Billy when they went over to the Roadhouse, to the house, causing Alec to stand still in the yard as John stood at the front window.

Molly didn't come out of the house for the most part, not crossing paths with Alec until one day when she walked in on him in the garage.

"Alec?" she said, surprised to see him in the garage.

"Molly?" Alec said. "I'm just getting something for my bike. I'll be going."

He backed up, trying to get put as much distance between the two of them as possible, although Molly was blocking the only entrance to the place.

"It wasn't your fault."

Alec shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," she said. "It was my fault; I attacked you."

"No, I took advantage. You weren't yourself," Alec replied.

"I forced you," she said quietly, "I let it take me over and then I forced you."

"No, you didn't."

She took a tentative step toward him. "I don't know how to fix this."

"You can't," Alec replied, pushing past her to get out of the garage.

* * *

John was sitting in the Roadhouse, nursing a glass of Jack, when Alec came into the bar.

"I've got to go," Alec said, looking at the floor.

John turned his head to look at him, saying nothing.

"I've got to go to Seattle."

"Really?" John said. Alec nodded.

"I don't expect you to believe me, but I got a call from Joshua; something's happened."

John twisted on his stool to better face Alec. "What?"

"Couldn't get details out of him, but Max has been shot and it's bad."

"How bad?"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know, but everything is about to fall apart."

John nodded. "You should go, then."

"Yeah." Alec took a bit of paper out of his pocket.

"What's that?"

"Logan's number."

"Why are you giving me this?"

Alec looked at the floor again. "I'm going to help sort things out, but I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Why?" John said coldly.

"You know why," Alec replied. "We can't leave things like this. One way or another, we've got to sort something out."

John turned back to nurse his drink. Alec stood there, waiting for some of response from John who didn't say a word; instead John stared at the glass in his hand. After about five minutes, Alec took a couple of steps forward and put the paper on the bar.

"If I don't make it back in three months call that number, tell him what I did," Alec said, his voice trying not to break, "He'll help you find me and I'll do whatever you want."

Alec stood there for a second, hoping for something, although John didn't seem to want to reply. He turned and started for the door.

"What do you expect me to say to Billy?" John asked. Alec stopped in his tracks.

"Tell him I'm sorry. Tell him… Tell him whatever you think is best."

* * *

** Well that's it for the moment, probably won't be able to post anything for at least a couple of weeks due to Uni stuff but Happy Easter to everyone. ****Also is it just me or is the formatting starting to act phooey?**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Please see earlier chapters.

Hope people are still reading this because I'm not too sure as I didn't get any reviews or anything, god i sound like I'm moaning here.

Please let me know what you think.

* * *

Max slowly came to. Her whole left side hurt like a bitch. The two bullets had missed her vital organs, but she had also come off her bike, causing her to become intimate with 150 yards of asphalt; she was damn lucky to be alive.

She had drifted in and out of consciousness, for how long she didn't know, hearing various voices in the infirmary--Mole and Logan shouting, nurses and medics--not that she could really remember what they had actually said. Though she could have sworn that Joshua had been by her bed for the whole time she was there.

"Don't move, little fella. All going to be all right," he said, stroking her hair.

"Joshua?" she said weakly.

"Big fella here. All going to all right now."

She tried to move, causing pain to erupt down her side.

"Don't move. Don't want to bust stitches," Joshua said, gently trying to hold her in place.

Max was agitated. "How long?"

"Too long," Joshua said.

"And?" Max said, knowing that Mole would want to retaliate immediately, Logan would want more information, Biggs would come down on Mole's side if he couldn't see any other way. As for Dix, she couldn't be sure what he would do.

"Okay, sorted, not White, not government, haters," Joshua explained, she listened as he told her how this she had been attacked by a small anti-transgenic group, that they had opened up on the group of transhuman refugees that she was moving in an attempt to get a response from Terminal City.

"What happened?" Max asked.

"Police pick them up. Logan got tape to Clemente. Rounded up now."

"Bet Mole loved that."

Joshua smiled. "Not much choice, Mole told to stop being a horse's ass."

"Who?" Max asked.

"Don't be mad. Joshua didn't know what else to do. Mole no listen, Logan no listen, Biggs angry, so Joshua made call."

"You didn't," Max said.

Joshua nodded. "He come home. We needed him, so Alec come home. Sorted things out, came down on Logan's side, told Biggs and Mole that they had to stop thinking short term, and that, unless they were going to challenge him in front of everybody, then we were going to do things Logan's way first. Told Logan that we'd give cops a chance, but if they didn't take care of things, then we would and we'd do it smart not stupid."

"Really?" Max smiled. She could really picture that meeting, not that it would be a meeting--more of a faceoff.

"What's happening now?" Max asked.

Joshua shrugged, "Not sure. Joshua been with you."

* * *

He was in command shuffling paperwork when she found him.

"Screwing up my filing system?" Max asked.

Alec took a long look around him. "You have a filing system?"

"Yes, I have a filing system."

"Can you please tell me what it is?" he asked with a small smile on his face.

"No," Max said. "It's designed to stop idiots attempting to mess things up."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Looks like it's a throw-it-in-a-pile-and-hope-for-the-best idea to me."

"Well, to the untrained eye it would," she replied, "So I'd appreciate it if you got away from my desk."

"Tough. Ain't going to happen," Alec said, returning to look at the papers in front of him.

"Excuse me?"

Alec didn't look up. "You should still be in the infirmary, and don't make me call Joshua to come and carry you back there."

"No offence, Alec, but my health isn't your business."

He sighed. "Right now it is. I may only be here for a while, but while I am and you aren't firing on all cylinders, you rest."

"What do you mean you're only here for a while?"

"Max, go back to the infirmary. I'm serious about calling Joshua."

* * *

Max started to go stir crazy over the next month and a half. Cindy visited Terminal City more than she usually would, although she bitched about the amount of vaccines that she had to take before she was allowed to stay there more than a few hours.

"Alec's being an ass," Max bitched as she stalked about command. "He won't even sit down and talk to me about what is going on. It's like it has to be a full committee meeting before he says anything to me.

"Really? So it isn't that he's actually making sure that something like this don't happen again?"

"Don't take his side on this," Max said to her friend. "Don't say him making everybody be there when he does talk to me is him making me put structures in place, OC."

"Boo, you work too hard. Place almost fell apart when you got hurt. Now god forbid it happen again. This place ain't going to erupt. Or..."

"Or what?"

"Hell, maybe seeing how he usually gets made the punching bag between the two of you, he's trying to make sure he don't get tangled in you and Logan's way."

"No he's not," Max said. "Anyway, Logan and I have moved past that. Yes it was hard, but we have. You know that."

"Maybe I do, but does he? Not like he's been kickin' it in the neighborhood. How do you expect him to know the latest 411 on you two?"

Max glared at her friend for a second. "Alec knows exactly where Logan and I stand."

"Does he?" Cindy replied. "And what does he say to that?"

"OC, stop it. Whatever idea you got in your head about me and that ass it's not happening."

"Who says I got ideas? I'm just saying that your stress levels are up there and from what I use to hear your boy was always good at finding ways for a girl to relax, even if it's only on the physical side," Cindy asked, causing Max to glower at her.

"It's not like he's even staying, anyway. He keeps telling everyone that he is going to go back," Max said, crossing her arms. "But I don't think he's even been in touch with them."

Cindy was confused. "What do you mean? He's not called them?"

"Yeah, Dix says he hasn't even checked in with them, and he's actively avoiding those hunting nuts that he put us in touch with."

"Really? Something is screwy with Pretty Boy then?"

Max nodded. "I asked Biggs to find out what is going on with him, not that he had much luck. Hell, I even asked Logan to find out, but Alec won't talk."

"Maybe Logan doesn't want to talk to Alec about things."

"Why do you think that?"

OC shrugged. "I don't know? Could be because someone, 'a good friend of his,' is protesting a little too much about pretty boy coming back."

"I am not!"

"Tell this sister another one."

* * *

Cindy got a call from Normal around about two o'clock. Someone had turned up at Jam Pony asking questions. He wasn't too sure if anyone else was with them, but he thought what, with Terminal City still being on edge, he didn't want to put a call to Biggs or Mole.

Cindy and Max went down there; they found her sitting in Normal's office staring into space.

"Molly?" Max asked.

Molly smiled. "Max." The girl got up and gave the woman she knew a hug.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Is Alec around? I need to talk to him. It's important."

"Sure. He's at Terminal City. We can go there if you want."

Molly bit her lip. "That's a toxic dump, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Max said, "It's okay, though. We can give immunise you against most stuff."

"Is there anywhere else I can see him? Somewhere private?"

Max glanced at OC before turning to back to Molly. "Sure. Anyway, as soon as he knows you're here, he'll be straight over."

Molly shook her head. "You can't tell him I'm here."

Max knotted her brow in confusion, "Right."

* * *

Alec sighed as he walked down the corridor to the warehouse space that was serving as Logan's new site for 'Eye's Only.' He wasn't sure why Logan had called him, but knowing Logan, it would be life or death or something in between.

He opened the door to find Logan at the terminals.

"Right. Obi-Wan, I'm here. What is it?"

Logan sighed. "It isn't me that wants to see you."

"What?"

"In the living room," Logan said, gesturing to the doorway.

"Is this an intervention or something?" Alec asked as he wandered into the other room, though he stopped as soon as he saw who was there.

"We'll be in the other room if you need anything, sugar," Cindy said to Molly as she and Max got up and left to go the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" Alec asked. "Does Pop or Ellen know you're here?"

Molly shook her head, "No, but I needed to talk to you."

"Why? Is it Billy?" Alec asked.

"Billy... Well, Billy ain't good, but that's not why I'm here."

"You could have picked up a phone."

Molly straightened up. "Would you have answered it?"

Alec didn't know what to say. Truth be told, he probably wouldn't have.

Molly crossed her arms. "Anyway, I couldn't do this over the phone."

Alec glanced in the direction of the kitchen before turning back to Molly. "Do they...?"

"I didn't tell them."

Alec nodded. "I'm coming back, you do know that?"

"Yeah," Molly replied. "But you said in three months, and by then... I need to talk to you now."

"About what?" Alec asked.

Molly didn't reply. Instead she stood there biting her lip.

"Molly, go home, please, before John comes here and starts breaking down doors," Alec said. "I'm almost done, so I'll be back soon, and whatever you want I'll do, but then. Not now."

Molly closed her eyes and held back the tears as he went to leave the apartment.

"I'm pregnant!" she blurted out.

Alec turned. "What?"

"I'm pregnant, and it isn't Kenny's."

The air visibly seemed to leave Alec. "No, you can't be."

Molly said, "I'm sorry Alec, but as I said, it isn't Kenny's, which means it's yours."

"How can you be sure?"

"Me and Kenny, even though the doctors said I couldn't have kids we still always used...," Molly said. "And I think it's a given that we didn't use anything when we were..."

Alec shook his head. "No, this isn't happening. You told me that you couldn't have kids because of what happened when Sam and Dean disappeared."

Molly wiped a tear. "I know I shouldn't be pregnant, but I've taken enough tests to be sure."

He shook his head. "This is not happening."

"I understand that you don't want anything to do with me, I can't blame you for it, but I don't know what to expect considering, and I don't know who else to ask."

Alec looked at her, knotting his brow. "Are you thinking about having it?"

"I don't know," Molly shrugged. "I don't know anything, considering, but maybe I am."

"Jesus."

"But do I even get a choice in it? What if I can't get rid of it even if I want to, or if I decide to have it, that it be okay" Molly asked. "Alec, most of the stuff I know about transgenics comes from you. None of the stuff I have read covers anything like this, and I need to know what I'm getting into whatever I decide."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't deal with this, Molly. I'm sorry I can't."

She took a little step closer to him, causing him to tense. She stopped, sensing his apprehension. "It wasn't your fault. I completely understand how I make you feel, and I know you want to run, but I am asking your help on this. I need someone who knows what they are talking about to tell me my options, and then I'll go. You won't have to see me or think about me ever again."

Alec stood there for a second, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Moll."

The other three watched as Alec left the apartment, Logan turned to Max. "I don't believe it."

"Stay with her," Max said before she went after Alec.

He was standing by the elevator hitting the button, cursing the thing for not moving quicker. She grabbed his shoulder and spun him round.

"What the hell is up with you?" Max yelled.

Alec clenched his jaw, looking trapped, not replying.

"Is that why you keep saying you're going back. You're going back to her?" Max asked angrily as Alec stood there.

"No," he said quietly.

"Then what?" Max asked. "Alec, I've you taken you for many things, but getting your sister pregnant?"

"She's not my sister, Max!" Alec replied.

"Then what is she?"

"I don't know, but she isn't even like what Ben and Zack were to you," Alec explained. "Moll's is... was my friend."

"Right," Max said as she watched Alec squirm. "But getting a girl pregnant, and then leaving her high and dry, Alec? That is something I thought even you couldn't stoop to."

"You don't understand."

"Then tell me. Tell her," Max asked, praying for some sort of explanation.

Alec pushed past Max. "I need out of here."

As Max got back into the apartment space, Logan was getting off of the phone. "Carr knows a good OB/GYN who would be able to help you."

Molly sniffed. "Thanks."

Cindy handed her a tissue. "You okay sweetheart?"

Molly nodded. "Don't blame Alec. It's not his fault. None of it was. He couldn't expect anything like this was going to happen."

Logan knotted his brow. "No offence Molly, but you are kind of going easy on him."

Max peered at Logan before turning to Molly. "It could just be shock. He'll come 'round."

Molly wiped her eyes. "I don't know, and I can't say anything if he doesn't. All I want to know is if the... my baby is okay."

Cindy nodded, "How far alone are you, if you don't mind my asking?"

Molly exhaled; she could put it down to a three-day period. "Two and a half months."

"Okay. You got somewhere to stay?" Max asked.

"I've been sleeping in my car," Molly replied.

"Well that stops right now," Cindy said. "You stay with Cindy until Pretty Boy comes 'round."

Molly shook her head. "No, I got some cash, and I can stay in a motel."

"In this town? No way in hell are you thinking about doing that," Cindy said firmly. "And don't go trying to throw down against OC. You ain't going to win, girl. You stay with me until you figure out your next move."

Molly smiled. "I know what that is going to be."

"What's that?" Max asked

"My parents don't know yet."

* * *

Cindy found Alec in a grimy bar in sector seven a little after dark. He was sitting there alone, nursing a scotch. Not that he had to worry about any other patrons. The place was almost deserted.

"What the hell do you think you were playing at?" Cindy said. going into full on attack before Alec had a chance to say a word.

"You leave that poor sister to go through this by herself, to deal with your messes, and you are sitting here getting drunk?"

"You don't understand," he replied, quietly, as he turned away from Cindy's glare.

"Tell OC what she don't understand."

Alec didn't say a word, instead filling up his glass again.

"This is why Cindy don't deal with the male gender. You get an issue that you can't punch your way out of, and you run away and hide," Cindy said, picking up the bottle of scotch. "Alec, that girl is scared, and you crawling into a bottle ain't helping."

Alec shrugged. "Doesn't matter if I help or not. He'll be here to get her soon. She's better off."

"What are you talking about?"

Alec turned to look her straight in the eye as he raised his glass. "Good old dad. He'll be here soon, and then he'll do what he should have two and a half months ago."

Cindy sighed. "You don't know that."

Alec smiled. "He should have done it the minute he found us. Better yet, the minute he met me."

"You ain't making any sense," Cindy said, putting a comforting hand on Alec's shoulder, causing him to flinch.

Alec stood up and moved away from her. "I'm sorry."

"What the hell is going on with you?" Cindy asked, confused.

"Nothing," he answered, agitatedly, trying to shut her down before she started getting too close to the truth.

An idea that didn't seem right started to form in Cindy's brain. "Max says you ain't been in a room alone with her since you been back. You sure as hell you ain't been in a room alone with me, and as far as I can tell, you ain't been alone with any sister for more than five minutes since Max was bushwhacked."

"You been keeping track or something?" Alec asked, in a half joking tone.

Cindy looked at the half deserted bar. The few customers in the place were men.

"Molly says she don't blame you, that it wasn't your fault, that it was hers, but whatever the hell went on, you blame yourself don't you."

"Drop it Cindy," Alec said, ready to bolt.

"You don't trust yourself do you?" Cindy took a step forward, causing Alec to back into the bar. "Jesus Alec, what the hell happened?"

Alec grabbed his jacket and left.

* * *

He was sitting on top of the needle, wanting some peace and quiet, wanting the world to go away.

"Thought I'd find you up here," Max said as she climbed out the hatch.

Alec sighed, "I needed some peace and I thought that you could get up here yet."

"I got the same type of stem cells as you do, remember?" she asked, standing in the way of the hatch. "We've been looking for you for the past couple of days."

"Max, leave it," Alec said flatly.

She shook her head. "No."

"Fine then," Alec said turning to look at the city as Max sat down in the hatchway blocking his escape route. They sat there for hours and as the sun came up.

Max slowly moved forward, noting that he was nodding off. She got damn close to him before he realized. He stood up with a start, almost losing his balance, causing Max to grab hold of him.

"Jesus, Alec, you could have fallen," she said as he steadied himself before he pushed her away from him.

"I'm fine. Leave me alone," he said curtly.

Max narrowed her brow. "Cindy was right, wasn't she?"

Alec felt ashamed, looking away from Max. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

"Like hell she doesn't. What happened Alec? What did they do to you?"

"Max, leave it, please."

"There are only two ways down from here, and unless you tell me what is going on, you aren't taking either one."

He buried his head in his hands as the tears welled up. She looked at him so sympathetically, with such confusion, waiting for him to talk, but all he wanted was her to go away.

"Alec?" Max said firmly, he could see the fear and concern in her eyes. "You are scaring me. Talk to me, please."

So he told her, and he watched as she looked at him in confusion and disgust.

* * *

Logan was just shutting off his network as he heard the door go. "Hello?"

She blew in angry, slamming the door behind her, "I need to know everything about Murray, Kentucky."

"Excuse me?" Logan asked as Max stood in front of him. "Can I ask why?"

"Logan, I need to know about any funny business in that town."

"Funny in any particular way?"

"You know what I mean."

"Oh," Logan said. They'd had a few conversations like this lately, generally when someone in an old truck or a baseball cap turned up cornering a young transgenic to ask about if they knew anything 'vacationing' out in some backward truck stop in the middle of nowhere and if they weren't sure then they better check pretty damn fast. "Has one of those hunters turned up?"

Max shook her head. "No, but I need to know."

"Why?"

She looked away from him for a second. "I can't."

"Max, if you want to start poking around records, it might be an idea of giving me a place to start."

She took a breath. "I need to know if people started acting strange, doing anything that was out of character."

"Why?"

She looked at the floor. "Alec."

"You found him?" Logan was surprised. Alec usually turned up when he felt like it, and considering everything that had happened with Molly, Logan didn't think that would be for at least another week.

Max nodded, "I need to know about that town, Logan."

"Sure, but what has that got to do with Alec?"

"Logan, what he said about what happened between him and her, it doesn't make sense."

"What do you mean?"

"I found him at the top of the needle, Logan."

"What? Is he all right?"

"I've got Biggs keeping an eye on him. But I got him to talk, and the things he said about what went down and what she said don't make any sense."

"In what way?"

Max sat down before taking a long breath, not sure how to start, or if she should tell Logan at all. But what she had been told, it didn't make any sense.

Logan said nothing for about five minutes after she finished telling him what both parties had said.

"So they are both blaming themselves?"

Max nodded. "Logan, she's saying it's all her fault, and he's saying the same thing."

Logan didn't know what to say. "Alec is many things, but I can't see him doing anything like that. But..."

"But what?"

"Can you be so sure?"

"Excuse me?" she looked at Logan.

Logan took a breath. He wasn't meaning what he was about to say as a way to get at Alec. Hell, in some ways he actually liked the guy. He knew that he and Max were never going to be the same way again. Sure it hurt, but they couldn't go down the road they had been taking before the virus. And the truth of the matter was that as much he sometimes blamed Alec for the virus and the loss of a possible cure, and yes sometimes he was more than a little jealous of how Alec seemed to get away with so much and still be close to Max; what he was about to say had nothing to do with the any of that. "Max, I'm not saying that he did do this, hell I can't see him doing but..."

"Logan!" Max looked at him in disgust. "She says he's not responsible, and don't say that she is in some sort of denial here."

"A lot of victims of assault blame themselves for it until they can process what happened, and that can take years," Logan said.

"No, she knows what she was saying."

"Okay. She's saying that he didn't, that she attacked him, but it was really this ghost thing that was responsible because it, what did she say? 'It was using her as a meat puppet while it mind-controlled Alec?'"

Max nodded, "That is what she said."

"Right, but Max, he's saying that he is responsible, he is saying that he did it," Logan said, to which Max glared at him.

"You've got two different stories here Max, and no offence from what you have told me, Alec's makes a lot more sense than hers."

"His story has the ghost thing in it, too."

"Yes, but he said that she was possessed, acting out of character. That could mean she was on something. Alec found her, they fought, and the next thing he knew, they were having sex. He's not clear on how they got to that point, but they did. One minute they were fighting and the next...," Logan stopped as Max narrowed her stare.

"Yes, I've heard this. He said it was like watching someone be there, not him."

"I know. He's not sure what happened to him, how they got to that point," Logan said. "But he's sure that she definitely wasn't in any state to consent to anything."

"So?"

"The one thing that you can say about Alec is that he may lie through his teeth about the small stuff, but when it comes to the big stuff, eventually, he always comes clean, and when he does, he never paints himself as anything other than what he truly is," Logan said. "Max, I'm not saying this as a way to get at him. Alec has come a hell of a long way since he got out of Manticore, and as screwed up as it is, he has some stupid code of honor that says that, when he has done something and someone, especially you, calls him on it, he tells the truth about it."

"So you are saying that Molly turning up is making him tell us the truth?"

"I don't know. I don't want to believe it, but I trust Alec enough to know that he knows what he is saying, and he is saying that he had sex with a girl that wasn't fully able to consent, that something happened to him that made him act so out of character to do something like this," Logan said. "But that aside, Max, he is saying that he still did it, and considering he was genetically engineered to be immune from nerve toxins, drugs and gases as well as the fact he is at least three times stronger than her it doesn't look good for him."

Max shook her head, "No. This is Alec. There has to be another explanation and not this ghost crap. I know him. Anyway you didn't listen to her. She said it wasn't his fault. She said he didn't attack her."

"I'm sure there is, because there's no way can I see him deliberately doing anything remotely like rape, but you said it yourself, he's been avoiding spending time alone with you, and you said that he's been doing the same thing with Cindy and other women, too. From the sounds of things he's spooked, which means that, whatever went down between them, scared him and that could be because..."

"No don't. Don't say it!"

"Okay, but I don't know what happened, and although you are probably right there, that there is some other explanation, maybe there was something that got to him. You pushing him won't help," Logan said calmly.

"Why not?" Max asked angrily. "What are you saying?"

"Max, all you have is your gut instinct on this, which isn't enough for something like this. So until you can be one hundred percent sure, until he's one hundred percent sure what happened, Max, what triggered him to do it, be careful," Logan said. "And I'm not just that for your sake, but his as well, because if you are right about him being on the edge right now, he must be scared that he is going to do something like this again, that something is going to set him off, so you pushing him on this might not be the best idea."

"I wouldn't push."

"Yes, you would, and you know that will end up in one of two ways, either Alec snapping and hurting someone, whether that is you or someone else, or him doing something stupid to stop himself, because you know that, even though he may not say it, he would."

She clenched her jaw; she hated it when Logan played devil's advocate. "Will you check or not?"

Logan sighed. "Yes, I'll take a look."

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapters

You know this whole story started nice and light - now it is getting all angsty, I think I'm getting better at writing the angst stuff now, which is help thanks to the tonne of Uni work I'm under. (only 8 weeks to go and I'm free !)

* * *

Alec swallowed as he went into the clinic. He knew why he was there, to tell Molly to go home, that she would be better off there. He went into the waiting area to see Max, Cindy, and Joshua, though Logan wasn't there.

He knew what Rollerboy was thinking right now. Hell, he needed someone to think the worst of him right now. Max had shaken her head, not said a word, and left him at the top of the needle. Now she was looking at him sympathetically. They all were, but he didn't need sympathy. He needed someone to hate him.

Shit, why wasn't Logan there. He really needed him there right now. He needed someone to judge him. Logan would, or at least he have the damn decency to let Alec know that he was reserving judgement until he picked over every aspect of the story he'd heard.

"Where is she?" Alec asked flatly, not really wanting to engage them in conversation.

"Waiting for the doc," Cindy said, standing up. "Alec, Max told us what you said, and Molly told us her side. From the sound of it, both of you were out of it."

"Doesn't matter what she said," Alec said, looking toward the room. "Still happened."

He took a step and went into the room.

She was laying on the bed, the Doctor talking to her; she turned as he closed the door. "Alec?"

"Excuse me?" the doctor asked on seeing him there.

"It's okay," Molly said to the doctor. "He's... He's... the father."

He didn't look at her. Instead he focused on the floor. "Molly, I understand why you're here, but I think that you'd be better going back. I don't think you being here is a good idea."

She nodded. "All right."

"I want you to be okay," Alec started to say. "But, whatever you decide you are going to do, it's probably better if you are near family, and that isn't here."

"I'll get what I need, and then I'll go," Molly replied. "You don't need to worry; I don't expect anything from you."

He nodded, turning around to leave as the Doctor began to talk to Molly. The handle of the door wouldn't give. Alec sighed. He guessed what was going on.

"Joshua," he said quietly through the door. "Open the door."

"No," Joshua said, "and don't think Max will make me."

"Please, Joshua. Trying to have dignified exit, here," Alec replied through gritted teeth.

"Alec, deal with it. Deal with Molly," Joshua said through the door as Alec pulled down on the handle, causing it to snap. Alec then turned around to the face the doctor and Molly, door handle in his hand.

"Sorry about this," Alec said, heading toward the window. The woman in the white coat stood up from her seat.

"I can call someone," she said, picking up the phone.

Alec looked at Molly. She smiled at him, trying to look reassuring. "It's okay. I understand."

He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Yeah."

The doctor sat down after finishing the call. "They'll have us out in fifteen minutes, but until then I could get on with this."

Molly nodded. "Sure."

"On with what?" Alec got embarrassed as he realised. He pointed to a spot on the other side of the small room. "I'll be over there."

"Alec, it is all right. It's a scan," Molly replied as the gel was applied.

"I'll still be over here," Alec said, getting as far away from them as he could.

* * *

Max swatted Joshua as they watched the caretaker take the door apart. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Medium fella need to talk to Molly, not run away," Joshua said.

Cindy sighed. "If they aren't ready, they aren't ready, Big Dog. You got to let them figure it out in their own time."

"Fine. Ain't ready. Both been through bad thing, but Molly say not Alec's fault. No blame. It was bad thing that did this to both of them, and I believe her. Medium fella may need more time, so probably does she, but not just them now is it?" Joshua stated.

Cindy turned to Max. "When did he get so into planned parenting?"

Max shrugged.

* * *

The door opened. Max walked in. Alec was still in the corner, but he was staring at the little screen as the thump of the heartbeat was echoing in the room. He didn't realise that the door was open for a second.

"Is everything… normal?" Alec asked.

"As far as I can tell," the doctor said smiling. "Good heartbeat, too."

"So?" Molly asked.

"Everything's fine," the doctor said. "You two have got yourselves a healthy one by the looks of it."

Alec paled, turning around and on seeing the open door bolted from the room.

* * *

"Your baby," Max said as she handed Alec a picture as she found him standing at the clinic entrance.

Alec turned to look at the picture of the grainy blob.

"Max?" Alec said looking at her for help.

She shook her head, causing Alec to bite his lip.

"I told Logan what you said," Max admitted.

Alec didn't look at her. "I guessed you would."

"He told me to be careful around you."

"That's good advice."

"I told him what Molly said, too."

"Why did you do that?" Alec asked. "It wasn't her fault. None of it was!"

"You said that it was like you weren't there. She said something similar."

"Max, she was possessed, and as for me, I have no idea what I was, but I was out of control."

"Don't buy that," Max said.

"You think I'm lying?" Alec asked. "No way in hell it excuses what I did, but it's real, everything that John and the rest of them said. I thought it was just a way of explaining things for them, but it is all real."

She shook her head, "No, I don't think so, but if there is something out there that can cause you to lose control like that, I want to know before someone works out how to bottle it and dumps it in our backyard."

"Right. Do what you want," he replied.

Max swallowed, "Molly said that you asked John to kill you."

Alec looked away.

"Alec, please talk to me," Max begged.

"What do you want me to say? That I didn't force her? That I didn't ra-" Alec took a breath. "Maybe. I don't know, but she wasn't herself, and even if I wasn't all there as well, I took advantage, Max. She may say that I didn't, that it wasn't really us there, but what happened wasn't right."

"I know, but Alec, isn't this something you have to sort out with her? Avoiding her or sending her away isn't going to help."

"Max, can you really risk me losing it like that again?" Alec asked. "Can she?"

"You won't."

"Can you be so sure? What if you're right that none of the ghosts and shit is real? What if what happened was because Psy-Ops was wrong about me? Maybe I just needed more time before I turned..."

"Alec, you didn't do this."

"How could you be so sure if I don't know?"

"I know you, Alec! You haven't turned. You won't turn, and I knew that before I even talked to her. I know when you told me, I left, but I didn't know what to do apart from go and hear her side," Max said, cutting him off.

Alec looked at the ground, feeling ashamed as Max continued. "I know, I don't understand the whole ghost crap, but I believe her when she says you aren't blame. And not just because I know you, but because of the way she says it."

Alec straightened up.

Max sighed as she saw the discomfort on Alec face, "Alec, she said that, if you want to see the baby when it's born, you can. If you wanted, you could be its father. Don't you see? She has no problem if you want be part of its life. Alec, if she was frightened of you or blamed you in any way for what happened, would she let you anywhere near the baby? I know if it was me, I wouldn't."

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I can't imagine what you are going through right now, but maybe you can have something good come out of it."

Alec didn't reply, instead started to walk away.

"She's got some more tests to go through," Max said. "She'll be staying at Cindy's until she decides what to do."

He didn't turn back around.

* * *

He could hear the yelling as he got to the half-open door of Cindy's apartment. He carefully walked in to find Cindy trying to calm the situation down, although it wouldn't do much good.

Molly was trying to explain.

"You are coming home now, and that is final," John said, grabbing Molly's arm.

Alec didn't realise what he was doing. He just reacted. It was if something primal rose from inside him. He hit John, sending him to the floor, ending up standing between him and Molly.

"Don't you touch her," Alec said in a low voice, feeling the need to protect... something.

John took a second before he got up, looking at the two of them.

Molly put a hand on Alec's arm, trying to calm the situation. "Alec, it's all right. Please, I'm all right." Molly turned to her father. "Dad, I have to stay here right now."

"Are you staying here?" John asked Alec.

"No. This is my place," Cindy said, butting into the conversation.

"I'm staying in TC," Alec explained, still standing between John and Molly.

"So what now?" John asked.

Molly swallowed, turned to Alec. "Can you give us five minutes, please?"

"I think that would be a good idea," Cindy said. She turned to Alec who stood his ground for a second before Cindy took his arm. "Come on, Pretty Boy, let's give them a moment. We won't go far."

Alec glanced over his shoulder as he left Molly to explain everything.

Molly took a breath as the door shut, turned to her father. "Dad, please sit down."

John ran his hand through his hair. "You disappear, not even a note, and I have to find out from your friends that you have probably headed out here?"

"Dad, it wasn't like that."

"I don't care what it's like," John said. "Molly, get your things. We are going home."

"I can't, Dad. I need to stay here for a few days."

John clenched his jaw; he didn't want to ask. "Is it him? Are you trying to fix things with him?"

"No, not exactly, and his name is Alec, and last time I checked, he was part of this family, or have you now decided that he doesn't deserve to be anymore?"

John didn't answer.

"Dad, please, I need to sort out a few things, and I need to do it here."

"Molly, you either go and get your things now and come with me, or I am carrying you down to the pickup and taking you home."

"I can't."

"You better have one goddamn hell of a reason why not."

Molly started to tear up as she got the sonogram picture out of her pocket. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" John asked as she handed him the picture.

"I'm pregnant, and it's Alec's."

John sat down as she continued.

"The doctor said it's healthy and seems to be growing all right."

"Jesus, you want to keep it."

"I don't know. Maybe, but I think I want to try," she said hesitantly. "I don't know if those doctors who told us that I could never have kids got it wrong or that it's because of what Alec is or anything else. I could just have been lucky, I suppose, but what if this is my only shot?"

John shook his head, "Lucky? You call this lucky? After what happened out there?"

"You can't even say it, can you?"

John didn't reply.

"Dad, Alec didn't attack me. He tried to fight me off. Whatever had possessed me didn't understand what he was, so it took him for a test run, decided it could have some fun."

"I don't want to hear this," John said.

Molly rubbed a tear from her eye as she continued. "Dad, he didn't force himself on me. My body was just as willing as his was. It was our minds that weren't. It mindfucked both of us, Dad, but it screwed with me first, so if you are going to say that only one of us got raped, then you have to say that I raped him."

"No, you didn't," John said. "You weren't right. You weren't yourself. He was meant to protect you, bring you home, but instead he..."

"He only did that because trying to save me, gave it a chance to crawl inside his head," Molly replied, cutting her father off. "Dad, you have to stop blaming Alec for what happened. I know you need to blame someone, but it shouldn't be him. He tried to fight it, but it used what Manitcore made Alec from against him. He tried to stop it, Dad, he did, but he didn't get what was happening until it was too late, until he... he wasn't him anymore. He isn't to blame for any of this. Why can't you see that? It was my fault. I walked into that hunt with my eyes wide open. I'm the one who screwed up."

John shook his head as he looked at his little girl. "No you didn't. Kenny took you in there half cocked, and if he hadn't, Alec would never have had to be there, and you would never have had to go through..."

"Stop it, Dad. It wasn't Alec's fault. It was mine," Molly said firmly. "What is it you always told me? Know what you are getting into, but always have a backup plan for the unexpected. I didn't double-check Kenny's facts. I took him on his word. I took his lead without giving him any input on what I thought, even though I knew that you thought things were off, even though I knew that things could go wrong. Alec... He didn't... He came to save me, save mom. So if you are going to blame anyone, blame me."

"Don't say that."

"Alec isn't a hunter, and he is never going to be. You may have taken him with you a few times, but he isn't a hunter. He's a soldier, Dad. A hunter would have shot me full of rock salt, and then tried to exorcise it from me, but Alec didn't do that. He tried to fight me, restrain me and stop me from hurting myself. He was trying to protect his unit, protect Mom, and save me. You gave him a job, a mission, and he tried complete it," Molly said. "You and Mom raised me in this, not him. I'm the one with experience, not Alec, Dad, so if it was anyone's fault, it was mine."

John couldn't look at his daughter.

Molly sniffed. "Dad, I know you and Mom don't like it, but I am an adult, and I have to make mistakes and take responsibility for my own actions."

"And this is what you are doing now?"

"I'm trying to."

"So you've made up your mind?"

"Dad, I hate the fact that I got used as a meat puppet, that it used me to control and hurt someone I care about like that. I hate the fact that I have to admit that you and Mom were right about Kenny."

"Molly, please," John said. "Come home."

"I'm almost twelve weeks, Dad. The doctor said that, once I'm over that, my chances of losing the baby go down."

"But that doesn't mean you have to go through with it. Molly, you have your whole life ahead of you. Don't think that you have to go with this because you have got some idea in your head that it is the right thing to do."

"I'm not, but it is still my decision, Dad. I'm not thinking that keeping it or getting rid of it is the right thing. I don't know what is. I wish to God that I never got in Kenny's car, but I did, and this is where it's got us. I'd be lying if I said that there is no part of me that isn't thinking that it would be better for all of us for me not to have this baby, but there is a big part of me that is also thinking what if this baby is my only shot of having a child of my own."

"No," John said as he stood up. "And considering everything, you can't be sure everything will go okay."

"I know that, but what if it does?" Molly asked. "I'd have a baby that is part of me. Dad, I love you and Mom, I do. You raised me, gave me everything that makes me who I am. I couldn't imagine having anybody else as parents, and I've never once felt that you and Mom loved Billy more than me, but this baby would be mine, really mine, my family, my blood."

John clenched his jaw, "Molly..."

"Dad, I lived with the idea of not being able to have a baby since I was one. I've known what uterine scaring meant since I was twelve, and no one, especially at that age, should have to deal with the consequences of it."

"I know that," John replied. "You don't think I saw what you went through."

"Did you?" Molly asked. "That night, the night you were brought back to life, it not only robbed me of having children when that stupid piece of wood ended up skewering me, but it took your sons and Jo. I watched you and Mom try and get over that; the two of you tried and never did. Christ, Dad, a five second hover feed on the news more than ten years later made you rush out here because you thought it might be a link to Dean."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Please, tell me how the hell what happened to me that night was meant to compete with that? I know that you never meant to, but how could I ever really talk to you and Mom about what happened to me without it reminding you of what happened to them? How could I talk to you, to say how angry I was, without me blaming them for what happened to me?" Molly asked. "I don't know if they needed me to be there to bring you back, but I was three years old, Dad! I should never have been there! I should have been at home, in bed sound asleep, not at a cabin in the middle of the woods, and I sure as hell should not been anywhere near a summoning circle."

"But that doesn't mean you have to go through with this now. You..."

"No, Dad, don't say it," she said, cutting him off. "Don't say that, if I'm pregnant now, then that means that I can get pregnant again. I know that there are risks. The doctor is doing tests, which is why I have to stay here. They know about transgenics here. They don't at home. And if you're worried about anything else, it isn't like I don't know how to get in touch with an exorcist if I need one."

"Molly, think about what you are saying."

"I am," Molly said. "I know what you are going to say, but I can deal with what happened."

"Can you?" John asked. "Can you honestly say that you are going to look at this child and not think about how you got it? That it's not going to affect how you feel about it?"

Molly nodded. "Yes! Yes, I can!"

"You can't say that for sure," John yelled.

"And if I get rid of it, do you think I wouldn't regret it, especially if it is my only shot? Do you think you trying to march me to some clinic somewhere between here and home is going to make any of this any better?"

"Molly, see sense."

"I am seeing sense, here. It is my body, my decision, Dad."

"Okay, but you don't have to decide anything right now. You can talk things over with your mother."

Molly shook her head. "No, Dad. You and Mom don't get a say in this. The only person who has a right to say anything is Alec."

"Molly, he's your brother."

"No, Alec is not my brother, not genetically, Dad! And that is what counts here! It isn't as if we grew up together, either. I don't know what he is to me, but I hurt him. Because of me, he doesn't know who he is anymore. He doesn't trust himself, and I wouldn't blame him if he hates me for it," Molly retorted.

John clenched his jaw. God, she was stubborn. "Okay then, let's talk about Alec. Let's go with what you said. He isn't to blame for any of this. So have you thought about what this is going to do to him? He was messed up when he went, Molly. You're right about him being messed up now. You saw him when he came in here."

"Okay, he was wrong to hit you, but I'm guessing he freaked out a bit because I'm pregnant."

"With his child."

"Yes, his child," Molly repeated. "If you saw someone manhandling mom or Mary when they were pregnant, what you have done?"

John looked away for a second. He had to concede that point. "So, are you two planning to play happy families now?"

"No, I don't want that. I don't think of him like that." She shook her head, breaking away from her father's glare. "I told him that I came here to find out what I could expect with the baby, that I don't want anything from him, that he doesn't need to do anything."

"And that's fair on him?" John asked. "Molly, you say don't blame him – fine, you don't. Then you telling him that you are having his baby and you want him out of your life ain't right."

"That isn't what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" John asked. "Because if that is what you said to him, then that is what you are doing."

"I meant that, if wants to see the baby, he is welcome, but if he doesn't want to, then I understand why."

"Has he said that he wants that?" John asked.

Molly shook her head. "No, he's still in shock about everything. He told me to go home, to stay away from him. I understand why, but if he changes his mind, I'm willing to talk."

John ran his hands over his face. "And how do you think that it is going to work if he does? Are you going to move here where it's his friends, his life, where you'll have no one, or is he going to move back to live near us? To a town that thinks that he took off because I caught the two of you together?"

Molly shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well if he wants to see the baby, you'll have to think of that. It isn't like it was before the pulse. You can't just jump on a plane to cross the country for the weekend like you use to," John said, to which Molly said nothing, allowing John to continue. "You said you want a baby of your own, family of your own. Don't you think that, considering how much shit he's been through, he might want the same thing?"

"I suppose."

"You suppose?" John replied. "Even if it hadn't gone down the way it did, he has had his life turned upside down more times than I can count, Molly."

"He hasn't said anything one way or the other for definite yet."

"Yet! He hasn't said anything for definite yet! What if he does want to be part of it, Molly? Can you really deal with that? Are you going to be able to cope with a kid as well as all the issues that Alec has? And I'm not talking about what happened to you in Kentucky," John said. "What if he says he'll be part of it, and then realises that he can't do it. You going to cope with that?"

"If I have to, I will."

"But what if he doesn't want anything to do with the baby? What if he changes his mind on that? Don't you think that one day he might come and claim it? That some animal instinct in him won't kick in one day and make him come banging at our door, not just wanting to be part of its life, but demanding that you hand it over to him? Are you ready for that?

"Stop it, Dad!" Molly looked at her father. "It won't come to that. We'll work something out. It worked for you and Mom, didn't it?"

"What?" John asked.

"Dad, if it hadn't been for the pulse, would you have moved in?"

"That was different!"

"Not when you come down to it. If you hadn't moved in, you and Mom would have sorted something out about Billy. She wouldn't have stopped you seeing him, and I'm not going to stop Alec seeing the baby. And so what if Alec and I will never think of each other the way that you and mom do? I'm not going to stop him being a father to this baby if he wants to be, either here or at home."

"Fine, but what if he doesn't, and he sticks to that? Molly, even if it comes out all healthy, it is going to be transgenic. It is going to go through things you don't understand," John reasoned.

"Dad, stop it," she begged. "I want to try."

"That baby is going to go through things you can't imagine, things that you can't help it with."

"I know, and if Alec doesn't want to have anything to do with us, then I'll at least know some people here that I'll be able to ask," Molly replied.

"Girl, you got this rose-tinted notion going on in your head."

"Notion? Please, tell me how this is a rose-tinted notion? Do you think that for one second that I wanted to have a child this way? Do you think that I wanted Alec and me to end up in that cave? Do you think that I wanted to tear this family apart?" she asked, waiting for John to respond.

Molly sighed as her father stood there in silence. "Dad, I know it won't be easy. No way in hell will it be easy."

"Christ, Molly. These people are living on a knife edge. They can't be sure that someone won't find an excuse to round them up or worse, and if that does happen, they'll fight. They'll fight tooth and nail. Don't think for one second that it won't turn into a bloodbath, because it will."

Molly glared at her father. "Yes, I know that, but that didn't stop you sending Smurf and those kids out here."

"Yes, I did, because they wouldn't have had a chance any other place but here," he replied curtly. "And you know that, too. But you aren't them."

"No, I'm not. But that doesn't change things."

"Really, do you want your child to be caught up in it? Because if this place does explode, you'll have to run; you'll have to take your baby and pray to god that no one ever works it out what your baby is. And take it from someone who knows bringing up a child on the road ain't easy, and that's when you haven't got the world against you."

"I know that," she admitted.

"And what if it doesn't come out okay? You don't know half the things that could go wrong considering how you got pregnant let alone the fact that you're human and Alec isn't."

She raised her eyes and looked straight at her father, "Dad, if you and mom knew that Billy was going to have Down's before he was born, would you have made her make a choice?"

"Molly!" John said firmly.

"Would you?"

"You know damn well I wouldn't have!" John said, bolting up from the chair he was sitting on, causing Molly to take a step back, "And don't you dare bring your brother into this."

Molly looked at the floor guiltily, "I'm sorry, sir."

"I get that right now you aren't thinking straight, so I'll what you just said slide, girl."

"Yes, sir."

"Go get your coat. You can get any test results you gotta get sent on," John said firmly.

"She isn't going any where if she doesn't want to. If Molly wants to stay to talk to the doctors, then she stays," Alec said, standing in the doorway, although Cindy was making a valiant attempt to try and pull him back into the other room.

John glared at Alec, "It's like that is it?"

Alec continued to stare John down. "She isn't going anywhere she doesn't want to, and no one is going to make her do anything she doesn't want to do."

"You think I'd do that?" John asked.

Alec furrowed his brow, "I don't know, John. You tell me."

"So you decided what you are going to do if she goes through with it?" John asked Alec as Molly watched on in silence.

Cindy pushed past Alec to get into the room as the two men continued their standoff, "I get that you two need to do this, but if you are going to bust each other up, I'd appreciate it if you took this outside."

Both men looked at the small woman in front of them, causing Cindy to turn to Alec. "And you can get that Alpha dog look off your face right now, Pretty boy, before I go get a washcloth and scrub it off! You know damn well I don't like too much testosterone stinking up my place. Takes too damn long and too much air spray to get it smelling halfway decent, and the ozone layer has taken enough damage as it is."

She turned to John, "Look, OC don't know you, but she gets the picture; you ain't happy, you want the best for your family just like any Papa would. You want your girl safe and sound especially after what went down even though, right now, you got a lot to get your head round. Just like she does."

John didn't reply for a second. "I appreciate you giving my daughter a place to stay..."

"Would have done that for anyone who needed it," Cindy said, cutting John off, "But if you and Pretty boy really feel the need to start something, you ain't doing it here, 'cause the neighbours won't like it, and truth be I ain't got the funds to redecorate if you two break my place."

"Cindy," Alec started to say before OC, who was still facing John, raised a finger in his direction, causing him to fall silent.

"What do you say? You willing to hear your girl all out, here? Probably best for all in the long run. Maybe let her finish what she started with the docs and such," Cindy asked John as Molly and Alec watched on.

Molly silently bit her lip as John looked at her.

"Good, we'll let you talk," Cindy turned, and as she left she grabbed Alec by the arm. "You are coming with me and letting the two of them talk it through."

"I'm sorry about that," Molly said as Alec and Cindy left before turning to her dad. "And I'm sorry about asking if you would have made Mom choose."

"Molly, you haven't thought this all the way through."

"I know, but please, Dad," She took a step forward taking his hand and placing it on her stomach. "Dad, I know you are trying to protect me, but this is your grandchild I'm carrying, not just because you raised me, but because it's Alec's child too."

John tried to pull away, but Molly stood firm, "Please think about this, Dad. This means that, though two of your sons took away my chance of having a baby, another one, even though it happened in a way that neither of us wanted, gave it back to me."

"Molly, don't!"

"Dad, this baby has Alec's blood in its veins. That's the same blood as Dean, as Mary. Don't you want a little piece of them running around, to watch that grow up?"

John didn't say a word as he pulled his hand away.

"Dad, I'm having a hard enough time as it, don't try and make me choose, not before I've talked to the doctor," Molly said, holding back the tears.

John sighed as he looked at the girl in front of him, resigning himself to the fact that it would do more harm than good taking her home until after the doctor had his say.

* * *

The clinic was quiet the next day. Alec sat outside the office, not sure what to do, not knowing why he was there except that Joshua and Max wouldn't let up about it. If John and Molly were leaving, then what was the point? They'd all be better off without him. They'd be better off if John had never found him.

He looked at the two pictures in his hands, the one that John had given them when they first met, the one of Dean and Sam. Alec could bet that wonderful Dean Winchester would never have gotten himself into such a mess. He never would have screwed up so badly. And now the result was a blob that seemed to resemble a large misshapen peanut in the other picture he held.

Carr was in there as well as the other doctor that Logan had found, so she would be getting everything explained to her about mutation, retroviruses, DNA degradation, and progeria, as well as everything else that could go wrong. John was sitting beside her, who was probably thinking about other things, that whatever had possessed Molly was now part of the child she was carrying. Of all the screw ups that Alec had been responsible for, he had to admit that this had to go down as a world record.

"Hey, Alec," Gem said, readjusting the bag of things she was carrying while trying to control the hyperactive three-year-old in front of her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too," she said, trying to stop Eve from tangling up her kiddie reins.

"Sorry," he said, hanging his head.

"Max asked that I come down to talk to someone about babies."

"She and Joshua aren't going to let this go are they?" Alec asked. "Does everybody know?"

Gem shook her head. "No. Not yet."

"Right," Alec replied. "You know the whole story."

She was confused. "What story?"

"Nothing," Alec quickly replied. "Gem, she's probably going to be going today, anyway."

"That's okay," Gem said. "Gets me out and about."

Alec looked down at Eve, who was climbing on the furniture. "She's grown."

"Yeah, my little monster," she said with a smile on her face. "She's runs me ragged."

Alec smiled. "Really."

"She can blur now. Not that she realises she's doing it, but she can, in small spurts, start to run, and then she's off, and next thing I know, I hear the crying start because she can't work out why she is further down the hall than she is suppose to be."

Alec let out a little laugh. "That must be fun."

"Dalton decided we should get a little treadmill. At least then she'd be in one place."

"How is the little guy?" Alec asked.

"Fine. Hates being in school, doesn't see the point, but we fought hard enough to get them into high school, so he is damn well finishing it."

"Max and her integration ideas."

Gem raised an eyebrow. "Unless we scatter, we are going to have to live here, which means getting along because there are a hell of a lot more of them than us and you know that. And as for integration? – Alec, an ordinary girl? I never thought you'd be one of the ones to go down that route."

"Right," Alec said as the door opened and both Molly and John came out.

"Alec," John said coldly.

"John," Alec replied, before turning to Molly. "Everything okay?"

She nodded before Alec introduced her to Gem and the little ball of energy that was Eve.

John had wandered off down the hall.

Alec turned to Molly. "What's going on?"

"We might be staying longer that I thought," she replied.

"Why? You sure everything is all right?"

"I'm fine, but your friend Dr Carr says he knows a cardiologist that he can put Dad with in touch with."

"Billy?"

"I told you he wasn't good," Molly said

"How bad?" Alec asked.

"Let's just say it isn't good," Molly replied.


	12. Chapter 12

Hello People me again. Hope this is okay.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

When John Winchester wanted to move fast, by hell he could, which for anyone who first met him, it could be quite a surprise, considering he came across as a quiet, imposing man who was probably set in his ways.

Joshua had given John the keys to Father's old house saying that, as Logan wasn't using it anymore, then someone should, and in the few days since the cardiologist had said yes to seeing Billy, John had cleaned up the place, moved in new furniture, as well as arranging whatever medical needs his children might have.

Ellen had been called, and she was setting up the move, arranging the sale of the roadhouse and land that it and their home was on, not that she had to look hard for a buyer – the people who owned the diner in town had been trying to get her to sell for years. She had the van packed in less than half an hour of receiving the money, taking the vitals that she and Billy needed, arranging for everything else to sent on.

It had taken a few days for them to reach Seattle, Billy being wrapped up warm blanket, sound asleep in the back seat as Ellen pulled up in front of the old house. As Billy settled into his room, Ellen looked around; she found she couldn't complain about the setup that John had put in place.

Alec stayed away, not getting in John's way, although Max and some of the others had helped the family move in, though Alec was less than obvious that he was watching the house.

As the others left, she found her daughter putting the last of the kitchen things away.

"Where's your father?" Ellen asked.

"With Billy, I think."

Ellen nodded. "Sit down."

Molly swallowed. Talking to her dad was one thing, because she had always known the little ways she could use to talk to him, even when he was in a foul mood. What daughter didn't know how to talk to her father? But this was the conversation, this one, where there'd be no yelling, because they were past that point, that one she was really dreading, because when her mother went quiet, that meant it was really serious, "Are you going to tell me that I shouldn't have it?"

"No," Ellen said as she shook her head. "But you are going to tell me what you are thinking."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I know you never dreamed of having a baby like this, but you are."

"I know that..."

"I am not finished," Ellen said calmly. "You are going to tell me exactly what the doctor said, what Alec's said, and every thought in your head."

Molly nodded.

"And I'm not your father, so don't you think for one second think that bringing the fact that Alec is the father of this child and that means Dean and Mary is part of that baby is going to cut any discussion short," Ellen said. "Now sit down."

Molly did as she was told.

Ellen sighed before she put out a hand. "Molly, whatever happens, whatever you decide, I love you, and I'm not going anywhere, all right?" Ellen said.

Molly held back a tear as she took her mother's hand. "I know."

"But having a baby is never easy, even when you've got everything on your side, let alone like this. Do you understand that?"

Molly nodded. "Yes, Mom, I do."

John stood in the living room as Ellen came out from talking to Molly. "And?"

"And what?" Ellen asked.

"You talked to her?" John asked.

"Yes," Ellen said crossing her arms. "I did."

"She hasn't changed her mind."

"You expect her to?" Ellen asked.

"And you're happy to leave it like this?"

"What do you expect me to do, John? Tell her that she has to get rid of it?" Ellen asked.

John didn't reply.

"She's going through with this, and if Alec wants to be a part of it, he is going to be unless she says otherwise, and that is the end of it," Ellen said firmly as she walked away.

* * *

Logan had gotten back to Max about what she had told him about Alec and Molly's stories. The information he had found showed that the area in question had been cited for toxic waste dumping by the EPA for years and there had been a number of incidents of local wildlife acting out of character, attacking visitors to the area, though some of these attacks may have involved local townspeople although no arrests had ever been made. He had been told by a couple of contacts that it was theoretically possible that the toxins in the area had combined to create a number of chemicals that could cause the behaviour that both Molly and Alec had described, but without knowing the specifics of everything that had been dumped, they couldn't say anything for sure.

When Max and Logan put this information to John and Ellen, the couple told them it didn't matter. Max had asked why, saying it showed that what Logan had found corroborated what both Alec and Molly had told them, that it hadn't been consensual on either side. John had turned to her, saying that he knew exactly what went down because he had been the one to find them.

"Why won't anyone listen?" Molly said from the doorway where she had stood silently as Max and Logan had told her parents what they had found. "Alec wasn't to blame. It happened, but it wasn't his fault, so will you all stop thinking the worst of him? I'm the one that put him in that position."

"Molly," Ellen said, trying to calm Molly down.

"No, Mom. As it was he was damn lucky not to end up dead, because that is what could have happened. I could have killed him."

"You don't know that," John replied.

"Yes I do, and so do you, Dad," Molly said. "That thing took me over. I was faster, stronger, and I almost killed Mom. It was me that fucked up. I wanted to play hunter to impress Kenny. We went into a job that went south, but instead of me and Kenny paying the price it was me and Alec."

"Molly, you don't have to explain anything," Logan said. "You can't blame yourself. You shouldn't, not in..."

"What, in my condition? My condition doesn't change things. I got pregnant because Alec tried to save me. I got pregnant because something took my body for a walk and found it couldn't kill him."

"You told us this," Max said. "And I believe you."

"Do you Max?" Molly asked. "Isn't there a part of you that wonders?"

Max shook her head. "No. I know Alec. He'd never..."

"What about you, Logan?" Molly asked.

Logan took a second. "Honestly, I don't want to, but I don't know."

John and Ellen looked at the man.

"I can't blame you for that," John said, causing Ellen to glare at her husband.

Molly started to cry as they listened to her. "I don't care if you guys can't get your head around the supernatural shit, but what you have to get your head around the fact that it wasn't Alec's fault. It was me that screwed up, and I took him down with me. I should have known better, and now we are both paying for this, because I'm pregnant, and he doesn't trust himself anymore."

"But if there were chemicals and dumping in that place, it shows that neither one of you were responsible," Max said.

"No, it shows _you_ that," Molly said. "I've always known that Alec wasn't to blame, and I'm tired of saying it. He doesn't need anybody to try to fill my or his head about chemicals being sprayed as an explanation of what happened. We know what happened. We were there. You weren't. So why don't you leave it alone, let us get over it? Why can't you let us move on in our own way?"

"But if it _is_ chemicals, then..."

"Then what? Does that make it better, Max? Please tell me how?" Molly asked. "How does thinking that chemicals that made us act that way make it better? How does Alec thinking that it could happen again if he comes in contact with whatever they were dumping going to make him feel better? Anyway it wasn't. It was something that you can't understand, something you don't want to understand."

"Okay, I don't understand. Maybe I don't want to, and I know it is your decision, Molly, and I respect you for it, but if it is hurting both you and him so much are, are you so sure that going through with having the baby is the right thing for you?" Max asked.

Ellen clenched her jaw in response to Max's statement. "She's made her decision, Max."

"We are only trying to help," Logan said, trying to calm down the situation, "give you all the facts so you can you move on."

"She's got all the facts. We all do," John said coldly, "and I'd appreciate it if you didn't come in here to flat out tell my family that we don't."

"John, we aren't saying that you don't know what happened," Max said, "but Alec is beating himself up, and the only people that can help him are in this house."

"This isn't your problem, girl," John replied, "and how my family deals with this isn't your business."

"Like hell it isn't!" she replied, causing John to glower at her.

"Logan, it might be an idea to get her out of right now," Ellen said, glancing over at the expression on her husband's face.

As Ellen showed Logan and Max to the door, she turned to them. "I know you are trying to understand what happened, but it's best you don't, and you don't want to push either John or Alec on this."

"I just want to help," Max said, "both you guys and Alec."

"Well, you're not," Ellen said coldly. "Like you said, we're the only ones that can help him, and John ain't ready for that. Anything that you two do now is just going to make things worse."

"Ellen, you don't know that," Logan replied.

"Like hell I don't. You may know Alec, but so do I, and I know Winchester men, known them since before you two were born, and Alec is as much one as the rest of them," Ellen said firmly. "What Alec needs now is John. Molly's told him what he needs to hear from her. Now he needs to hear from John, not to forgive him, not to tell him things are going to be okay, but to say that it is done. Then he can move on, and that is something John isn't ready to do. Just like John needs Alec to tell him the same thing, because Molly is right. John blames himself for it happening, and only Alec can tell him otherwise, and can you tell me Alec is ready for that?

Max shook her head.

"You got to leave it, and give them time," Ellen replied.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stand back and watch him like this."

"Well tough shit, Max, you're going to have to, because you know damn well it is going to worse before it gets better, and there is not a damn thing you can do about it," Ellen said, "but it will get better."

"And until then?" Max asked. "Alec is breaking inside..."

"And he's not going pick himself up until he's ready to! You trying to make things right for him ain't going change that," Ellen snapped, before she sighed. "This is my family, Max, and I told you once I take care of my own. It ain't always pretty, and it takes time, but that is what I do, but if you can't handle that, you'd better stay out of the way while I do it."

* * *

Alec wasn't sure what to do about anything. He felt kind of helpless about the baby, the Winchesters, about everything. He felt that he hadn't the right to feel anything else considering what he had done. Not that anyone outside the family and the small circle of Max, Logan, Cindy and Joshua knew the whole story.

At first he threw himself into work, though in his off time he seemed to take things to extremes, either avoiding everyone or by getting drunk and trying to party, but at the end of the night, he always found himself alone apart from the times he woke up at his place not sure how he'd gotten there. Then Max would appear with a glass of water and some pills for his hangover. As time went on, he spent less and less time at command, though it was always a silent Max who still seemed to be the one to be there when he woke up from the night before.

Apart from one time when he woke up somewhere else, somewhere he never in his life expected to be.

"Do you need the bucket again?" Logan asked as a groggy Alec woke up.

He peered at the man, who was sitting in a chair at side of the bed.

"What?"

"You know if it wasn't for the fact that I know you are a transgenic, I would have bet money on the fact that you'd be now be dead from alcohol poisoning considering the amount you drank last night."

"Go to hell!" Alec slurred as he slowly got up to which Logan didn't reply.

"Where are my clothes?" Alec asked, noticing the state of undress he was in, "What? Now that you and Max are definitely not happening, you needing to get your transgenic kicks some other way? You know you could have just asked. Might have given you a proper show."

"Don't flatter yourself," Logan replied. "Your clothes are in the washer."

"Why?"

"Why do you think I asked about the bucket?"

"Oh," Alec slumped. "Can you loan me something right now, and I'll pick them up later."

Logan nodded. "Sure. You can use the shower, too, if you want."

* * *

Logan was sitting at his terminal when went for the door .

"You could say thanks, you know," Logan said as Alec went to leave.

"Thanks."

"She isn't going to keep bailing you out, not if you keep going on like this."

Alec shut the door and turned. "What?"

"Max. You want to hurt yourself? Fine, Alec. Stop dragging her down with you."

"What do you mean?" Alec asked.

"Where the hell do you think I found you last night?" Logan asked, to which Alec shrugged. Logan knotted his brow. "Jesus, Alec, you want to get yourself killed? Fine, go back down to gang turf and do what you were doing last night. Next time it won't be me to find you, it'll will be her, and you know damn well with the amount of people she's pissed off down there, they won't let both of you walk."

"How did you find me?"

"Ellen called me, saying that someone might want to make sure you got home. Why she called me instead of Joshua or Max, I don't know."

"What?" a confused Alec asked. "How did she know where I was? I'm sure I lost..."

"The tail Max put on you? It looks like Max hasn't been the only one covering your ass," Logan said, raising an eyebrow. "Is it possible, considering the state you were in, that you missed the signs of Ellen's 'friends'?"

Alec looked at the ground sheepishly for a second. "How bad was I?"

"Bad," Logan replied. "Alec, get some help, if not for your sake, for Max's, for your family, for your baby, for whoever the hell it will take to make you go get some help."

"I'm past that point," Alec said turning round to leave.

Logan stood up. "Grow up, Alec. I don't kid myself that I understand what is going on, what you went through, but you are acting like a spoiled kid right now."

Alec turned, grabbed Logan by the throat, and pinned him to the wall. "Who the hell are you to judge me?"

Logan scrambled for a second before Alec let him go.

"I'm sorry," Alec said stumbling backwards. "I shouldn't... What the hell am I doing?"

Logan took a few seconds to gain his composure after getting back to his feet. "I don't know, but whatever it is, you got to stop it."

"I don't know how," he shamefully admitted.

"Cutting down on the drinking might be a start," Logan replied, to which Alec didn't reply for a second.

"Max got you to look things over, didn't she?"

Logan nodded. "Yep, the town she said has been cited for a load of EPA infringements."

"What did...? What did they say when you told them?" Alec asked.

Logan sighed. "Molly stuck to the possession story, said that she was 'taken over,' and that it decided to play with you."

"And do you believe her?"

"Does it matter if I believe her?"

Alec shook his head. "No, not really."

"They do-the Winchesters-if that is anything. Though John's still angry," Logan said. "Max thinks the chemicals did something to you and Molly, and the only way Molly can explain it is to hang on to the stuff she was brought up with."

"So I get away clean, then?"

Logan shook his head at the mess of a man he saw in front of him. "I don't know yet."

Alec nodded and started toward the door. "Logan, thanks for checking, for doubting."

"Sure?" Logan said, uncertain of Alec's intent.

"Someone needed to; someone needed to make sure that I'm safe to be around."

Logan sighed, rubbing his throat. "Yeah. Like you are that right now."

Alec quit drinking as hard after that.

* * *

As he started to clean himself up, Alec couldn't help but find the slips of paper that Max had started to slip into his pocket with Molly or Billy's appointment times on them. Not that he went, but he had found himself standing outside the clinic on more than one occasion.

The same thing seemed too happen with regard to the house, with John seeing Alec standing across the street most afternoons, even in the pouring rain. After a couple of weeks, Ellen crossed the street to talk to Alec. John watched as the boy seemed to give up the fight as the woman stood in front of him, letting go of some of the guilt as Ellen gave him a hug.

It got a little better after that, although Alec and John continued to avoid one another.

Molly started to grow, and Billy watched, fascinated about the whole thing. He enjoyed feeling the baby move. It took a while for Alec to feel comfortable about it, Ellen having to grab his hand one day, to force him to feel the movement of his unborn child, when he turned up at one of Molly's doctor appointments.

Alec swallowed as he felt the baby move as Ellen left him and Molly alone to wait for the doctor to call. "That's... I don't know what that is."

Molly smiled. "Baby is active today."

"Right, not that I would know anything about this," Alec said, his hand gently resting on the swell of Molly's belly. "You sure you don't want to know... the sex?"

"Do you?"

Alec shrugged. "It's up to you."

"Alec, if you want, we can find out."

"It's okay. Maybe for the best that I don't know."

"Everything is fine according to the doctor."

"I know," Alec replied, taking his hand away. "Anyway it's what you want."

"Alec, if you're not sure about being involved..."

He shook his head. "No, it isn't that, I think. Hell, Molly, I don't know. I know it's my kid, something I never really thought I'd live to see happen, but why do you want me here? It's not like you expect anything else, is it?"

"Oh, yes, definitely. It was all a grand plan," she answered sarcastically, causing his face to fall. "Look, we both know that we don't care about each other that way. It was a stupid accident that has got us here."

"Some accident?" Alec replied. "It wasn't a drunken night out that got us here."

"No, but we are here. Well, I'm here. If you want out, you still have time, because as much as I would like my baby to have its father around, I'm not having you go into this, and then change your mind. Do you understand?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah, but why me, Molly? Why put yourself through having me around?"

"Because you are this baby's father, and the only one it is likely to get, because I'm swearing off men," Molly said firmly. "I keep telling you I don't blame you, and one day I hope you can be able to forgive me."

Alec shook his head. "Nothing to forgive."

Molly didn't reply as she sat in the clinic waiting area.

"Moll, don't let what happened stop you from moving on," Alec said. "I know what with both me and Kenny you've been probably been put off guys for life, but..."

"Not for life, Alec. Yeah, I'm not going to say I don't have nightmares about what happened. I do, just like you probably do, and Kenny taking off hurt, but I'm not going to stand still," Molly said, cutting Alec off. "It's just for a while until I'm ready. I don't know when that will be, but I'm not going to let what happened define the rest of my life."

"You know you are too well adjusted for your own good, you know that?" Alec said.

Molly smiled. "Well a shrink costs too much not to be. Anyway, with my life, what would I say?"

"Well there is always the truth," Alec said, smirking.

"Sure, that would go down well. Hi doc, I got possessed by a ghost cat, and now I'm knocked up by a transgenic, who the ghost cat mind whammied, with major trust issues. But it's not like he's a stranger or anything, because he is actually the clone of a man who saved my life when I was three, and who disappeared a few weeks later when he, his brother, and my adopted mom's daughter brought his dad back from the dead, who is now also my dad."

"You know that story is screaming out for film-of-the-week status."

"Film-of-the-week? Not a blockbuster?"

"I don't know. Miniseries?"

"Okay. Miniseries I could live with," she said with a small smile on her face.

"Has Kenny been in touch at all?" Alec asked tentatively

Molly shook her head. "No, but I heard he's taken up with a girl somewhere in Georgia."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, and it wouldn't matter if he hadn't," she said. "He took off when I really needed him. All he had to do was be there, and he couldn't do that. From what I can tell, he didn't even check in later to see if I was okay, and that hurts. But I'll survive, and I'll move on when I'm ready. Same thing goes for you, too, you know-the moving on from this."

"I know," he said, looking away.

"And as for Dad, give him some time Alec. He'll come round, though it might help if you came to the house when he was there."

"Yeah, right."

"Alec, are you listening to me?" Molly asked as Alec continued to watch the crowd.

He nodded as he turned to face her. "Yeah."

"But are you hearing me?"

"Don't, Moll," he said, cutting her off. "I get enough of that from Max."

"Really?"

"She just goes on and on."

"What about?"

"Just stuff. Don't want to bore you."

"Alec."

"It's nothing," Alec said, to which Molly shot him a look. "We were talking about stuff."

"What stuff?"

"About Manitcore. About how we all grew up. About this."

"So?"

"She says, even though I shouldn't blame myself about how you got pregnant, I've got this big chance, and I should grab it with both hands."

Molly smiled. "So Max talked you into being here?"

Alec shook his head. "No. Molly, I grew up in a place where we were really just pieces of meat, you know? We all knew what the handlers thought of us-we were expendable."

She nodded. "And you don't want the baby to go through that."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Kind of. Not that I'd ever think that you'd ever make it feel like that."

"I know."

"Also Max reminded me that, while I'm sitting feeling sorry for myself, other people aren't, and how would I feel if I something happened to it or to you if they found out about you being pregnant."

"Excuse me?"

Alec sighed. "Look, Moll, I'm not trying to scare you or anything, especially seeing as how you shouldn't be stressed."

She glared at him. "Will people stop saying that! I'm pregnant, not dying."

"I know."

"So what are you trying not to frighten me about?"

"Molly, I know you are in Seattle because of the doctors, but you got to realise that here isn't like back at the Roadhouse."

"Really?" she asked sarcastically. "The buildings, people, and the rain weren't a giveaway."

"Molly, I'm being serious," Alec said. "There are a lot of people out there that might want to hurt you or 'it' because they aren't going to like a half transgenic and half ordinary being out there."

"Well I don't know about you. I wasn't exactly going to announce that part in the papers."

"You know what I mean."

She nodded, conceding his point. "And Max reminded you of this?"

"Yeah, and she was right about it. I want the kid to know that, even though how it got here was screwed up, someone's always going to watch its back, no matter what when its mom can't. It deserves that, just like any kid deserves to know that someone is looking out for it. My kid deserves...," he stopped for a second, not sure how to continue. "And I'll do that if you want, even if you change your mind about me being its father and want me to be its 'Uncle' or something else instead."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I figure you're going to be looking out for the supernatural crap, which I don't understand, so I'll take care of the other stuff that needs looking out for because that's what a dad does, right?"

Molly smiled. "You know, I think that is the sweetest way you can say that you want to step up I can think of."

"Oh hell, Moll. Don't say you're going to start crying on me," Alec said as Molly began to sniff.

"It's just hormones," Molly said as she found a tissue in her bag.

"Hormones?" Alec said, "That all?"

"Yes, that's all. I'm up and down every five minutes right now."

"Okay, and that's normal?"

"Yes, Alec, that is normal. One minute I'm fine, then I'm crying, and then the next I'm as horny as hell."

"Excuse me?" Alec said slightly surprised.

"Forget it," she quickly replied, before muttering. "Obviously, blunt honesty is also coming along with everything else now."

Alec sat there in silence for a few moments not sure what to say.

"You thought of names yet?" Molly asked, trying to change the subject, "because Billy has been trawling through books the past couple of days."

Alec smiled. "I've not exactly thought. Been given a list."

"List?" Molly asked as he pulled a scrap of paper out of his pocket.

"Yeah, Luke thought I might want some ideas. Biggs told him he should write them down, though it reads more like a census than anything else," Alec replied. "Told him you were having one and not a litter – it is definitely just one isn't it? They couldn't have been wrong with the scan, could they?"

"No, it is one," Molly said, taking the paper.

Alec seemed to relax a little as she started to look at the pages. "Yeah, there are some whacked out ones, but I figure you might like some of them."

She studied the page, "Okay, I'm vetoing Oreo and Almond Joy. I am not having a kid named after a cookie, and even though it's a candy bar, it would make the kid sound like a cheap price stripper."

"So you're saying no to all snack food-related ideas, then?" Alec asked, to which Molly just glared at him. "What about designations? We could have the first kid in a normal kindergarten with the same name as a prime number sequence. Or 'Prime.' That could be good."

"I was thinking William if it is a boy. What do you think?"

"After Billy?" Alec asked.

Molly nodded. "Yeah. What with him being sick and all, I think he'd like that."

"Yeah, but what if it is a girl?"

"I don't know. Billy had an idea."

Alec knotted his brow. "Is this a good idea or in the same league as the one involving the tennis racket and the ice cream."

"It's okay. It's kind of involving our moms."

"'Our' moms?" Alec said. "Technically, I don't know if I really can say I have one. I had a surrogate and all, but seeing as how I never saw her after I the day I was born, I can't say that we were really close so..."

"You know what I mean. My birth mom, your genetic mom, and Mom," Molly explained.

"Right," Alec said. "I don't get you."

As Molly explained the conversation she had had with her brother to Alec, they didn't see the silent figure that was standing in the doorway of the clinic. Max stood there and watched the confusion on Alec's face lift as he and Molly talked and his smile when Molly grabbed his hand and moved it to her stomach. She saw his joy as he obviously felt his child move again. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, giving him the first real moment of happiness she had seen cross his face in a long time.

Molly said something to him before he started to hesitantly talk to her stomach. Max couldn't hear what he said in the din of the busy clinic, but whatever it was, Molly began to laugh, causing Alec to stop talking and look up at her. Molly gently swatted him, causing him to say something to her before he went back to talking to the swell of the belly that housed 'their' growing child.

Max stood there for a few more moments, silently watching them together, not saying a word before she turned and left before Alec and Molly realised that she had ever been there.

* * *

Billy was happy, although he was getting tired more easily than he used to, he enjoyed seeing all the new things, spending some time with the younger transgenics, as well as finding out Curly was doing okay - she had found that there were loads of transgenic that were like her that she could make friends with. He was going to a day center for children with learning disabilities when he was well enough, as well as making friends with some of the younger X6s, who found spending time at the Winchester house not only fun but a great excuse to dodge out of school that they were now being forced to attend.

Molly spent a lot of time with Gem and Eve, finding out about what she could possibly expect even though her child would only be half transgenic. Max encouraged it, giving Gem time off from her duties in command to allow her to help Molly and Alec with the relatively uncharted waters they were going into.

Max watched as Alec started to fit again in his little whacked-out world again, trying not to feel left out, not to feel a little jealous as Alec went through a set of experiences that she couldn't imagine. Not that she told him how she felt, not wanting to impose on things, knowing that he had enough shit going on around in his own head to deal with the stuff that was going on in hers.

Cindy had let them know that there was a small place opening up in her building, large enough for Molly and the baby after it was born, and it was near Terminal City, allowing Alec to be close by if he wanted as well as the clinic, just in case. Normal said he knew someone who could get some half-decent baby furniture, and had even got Sketchy involved to do the heavy lifting. Ellen and John weren't happy about the idea, but Ellen could understand why her daughter would need her own space.

Billy had had enough by then-the tension between his father and Alec-taking things into his own hands, getting a number of transgenic to help. At any other time John would have been impressed by his youngest son's tenacity, although on day four being stuck in a row boat on a lake in the middle of nowhere, being impressed was not exactly how he felt.

"Can you talk to them again?" he said, not looking at Alec.

Alec shrugged. "Not like they're listening to me."

Alec pulled at the chain around his leg.

"You've been at that for four days. Unless you cut your damn foot off, you ain't getting out of it."

"Thanks for the advice, but have you got a better idea? Because the only other one I've got is sinking this fucking boat, but we'd probably drown."

John turned around to see the lights go on in the cabin.

"I'll take that as a no, then," Alec said, returning to what he was doing.

John picked up a ration pack and threw it at Alec. "You should eat something."

"I'm fine," Alec replied.

"You haven't eaten or drank anything since we've been here."

"Haven't been hungry."

"Bullshit!" John muttered.

Alec looked up. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," John said.

"It's not me that looks like they need a good meal," Alec said, causing John to turn his back on him. The man had lost a lot of weight lately, and Alec was pretty sure that not all of John's visits to the hospital were to ask about how Billy was doing, but if the man didn't want to talk about it, then it was his deal.

"Fine," Alec said picking up the packet. "I'll eat. Happy?"

John looked away, causing Alec to sigh. "That'll be another no?"

"No, I'm not happy," John replied. "Do you expect me to be happy?"

"No, I expect you to be angry. I expect you to do something, anything," Alec said.

"What? It wasn't your fault. I know that. You know that. The world knows that."

Alec threw the packet down. "You let me in your home. I ate at your table, then I go and do something like that, and you didn't do anything."

"If you hadn't been there, then I don't know what would have happened. Ellen and Molly would probably be dead," John admitted. "But none of you should have had to be there."

"Well we were, and now we have a big mess."

"Yeah we do, don't we?"

"Well, what do we do now?" Alec asked.

John sighed. "How the hell do you expect me to know? What do you want me to do?" John asked. "Hit you? Shoot you?"

"I don't know."

"Anyway, anything I could do to you can't be worse to what you're doing to yourself," John said.

"Doing to myself?"

"You're still tearing yourself up inside," John said coldly.

Alec shook his head. "Whoopee do."

"Guess I understand why," John said, trying to sound a little sympathetic. "You can't work out if you're the victim or the perp."

Alec clenched his jaw. "I'm no victim!"

"Molly's gotten over it for the most part. You haven't."

"She hasn't got any reason not to. She isn't to blame for any of it."

"No, that is one of the few things we agree on," John replied. "She's looking to the future now, the baby."

"Right," Alec said.

"You changed your mind about sticking around for it?"

Alec shot John a dirty look. "Even if Molly changes her mind about me being a part of this, that kid won't go wanting."

"Good," John said flatly.

"You thought I would let her do everything on her own?"

"Would you have?"

Alec hesitated for a moment. "How the hell can you say that?"

"I don't know."

Alec shook his head, "You really don't know me, do you?"

John clenched his jaw. "After what happened, what do you expect me think about you?"

"I don't know, John. You tell me!" Alec spat out. "I'm sorry. I screwed up. I should have worked out what was happening and got out of there before it took over, but I didn't. I can't take that back. I don't know what else I can do. Do you want me to leave? Because I can. I can go somewhere else if that is what you guys want."

John shook his head. "No, it is done now, and this place is your home more than ours."

"So if don't want me to go and you want to stick around for the baby, what is the problem?"

"Okay, I forgot, I forgot!" John yelled.

"What?" Alec was confused.

"I forgot. I let my guard down and forgot what the hell you are. I should have known better, shouldn't have let you and Ellen go. I should have been the one to go get Molly, not you two. But I couldn't because I fucked up and broke my fucking arm, so I sent you, even though I knew that part of you isn't human, but I didn't want to see that."

"What the hell has me being a transgenic got to do with this?"

"Everything," John yelled. "Because of that, the rules are different for you, not that it is your fault for that, but they are, and because of that, Molly spent two weeks refusing to come out of her room, you ended up tied up begging me to kill you, Ellen was a mess because the only person her daughter would let near her was her little brother, and it was all because I forgot that things work differently for you than us, because if you had been human, it wouldn't have happened."

"So you can see the future now?" Alec said sarcastically. "Pop, you couldn't have guessed that it was going to go down the way it did."

"No, but I let you walk in there without all the facts of what could happen, and now we have to deal with the fallout from it," John said.

"I'm trying to do that."

John glowered at Alec, "You better do a damn sight better than try, because if you are going to be any use to Molly and that baby, you got to get past what happened out there, and if you can't, it'd be better if you just got out of the way."

Alec looked away, not sure how to answer that. "And there was me thinking that part of this was because you didn't see me with her in that cave but Dean."

"Alec, you aren't Dean," John said running a hand over his face. "You said it yourself when we got those results back. You're never going to be Dean, so why the hell do you want to be now?"

"I don't know. Isn't that what you and Ellen wanted? What everybody wanted?"

"Where the hell did you get that idea from?" John asked.

Alec shrugged. "Oh hell, could have been when the guys at the Roadhouse went on about how I was supposed to fill his and Sam's shoes, or when I went on the first hunt, when you gave me his gun. Hell, I'm surprised you didn't call me Dean more often."

"When the hell did I call you Dean?" John asked.

"The day you fell off the roof," Alec replied.

"When they pumped me full of painkillers?" John asked.

"Yeah," Alec replied.

John clenched his jaw. "So you're holding that one time when I was tanked up against me?"

Alec didn't reply for a moment, "Isn't part of this down to the fact when you saw me and Molly together, it twisted up that perfect image you got in your head of Dean? That not only did I screw up with her, but you're angry that I took another part of him away from you."

"Oh Christ, Alec." John shook his head. "Dean wasn't perfect. I miss him and Sam, and yeah, I admit it, I'm trying to make up for some of the crap I put them through with Billy, Molly, and you, but you aren't Dean."

"Yeah, sometimes I wonder if you know that."

"Of course I fucking know that," John said angrily. "You're you, and if you've got into your stupid head of yours that you got to live up to who Dean was, then there isn't anything I can say that is going to change your mind. But if you're sticking by Molly because you think that is what he would do, then don't, because it's obvious, even though you're trying you ain't comfortable about it."

"How the hell would you know how I feel?" Alec asked accusingly. "Jesus, John, the two of us haven't even been in the same room since Ellen and Billy came out here."

"You don't think I know?" John retorted.

"Well you haven't talked to me."

"What the fuck do you want me to say?" John retorted, "That I don't know that you've been turning up at Molly and Billy's appointments. That you turn up at the house when I'm not there. That I haven't heard that you keep asking her and Ellen if it's a good idea for you to be around?"

"I'm trying to do the right thing, John, whatever the hell that is. I'm trying to do it! And yeah, sure I'm betting he'd have never fucked up so badly, but me trying to do what's right has nothing to do with Dean. It never has. But you never thought about that, did you?" Alec said, causing John to look away as Alec continued. "All the time at Manticore, I did shit that I don't want to think about, but never anything like that. I hurt people, I stole, I killed, but even when sex was part of the mission, I never forced myself on someone or took advantage of anyone who didn't know what they would be getting into, even when I was given the go ahead to. I knew guys that did, understood part of why they did it even though I didn't like it, but I always found another way because it felt sloppy and unprofessional, because I admit it, I used to take pride in my work, not to mention it felt wrong, and I promised myself I was never going to put anyone else through the same thing that Manticore did to...,"

John's head shot round as Alec suddenly stopped talking. "What?"

"Nothing," Alec replied quietly.

"Alec?" John asked angrily, "What the fuck were you going say?"

"Forget it-it is none of your goddamn business!"

John closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face, thinking that he should have guessed that the bastards in that place would have done something like that, even if they only considered it to be part of the training or as a punishment. Great. Without even knowing it, he had failed to protect another one, failed Alec in more ways than he'd ever failed the rest of them.

"But then I go meet you," Alec said coldly. "You show me this hunting shit, and the next thing I know I've got something crawling in my head taking away all the control I've got while she's pumping out more pheromones than one hundred females in the middle of their heat cycle, and I'm doing something I swore I'd never do to anyone, let alone someone I care about."

"I'm sorry Alec," John said. "I... I should have never asked you to go get Molly. I put you in that position; I can't say anything against you blaming me."

Alec shook his head. "No. I didn't mean... Hell, John, it happened. Shit happens-shit I don't understand. You didn't know it was, but can you really blame me for feeling 'uncomfortable'?"

John didn't reply for a second. "No, I can't, but you still beating yourself up about it ain't doing anyone of us good."

Alec looked away. "I know, but neither is you acting the way you are, because all I can see is that everybody else is being pulled apart, here."

John nodded. "What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know, but we'd better do something."

Two days later Mole and Joshua dragged the boat in.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Please see earlier chapters.

A relatively short chapter for me, hope you like it as it is a little mixed. Let me know what you think (not that I'm begging here :))

* * *

After their 'fishing trip' relations between John and Alec began to thaw as they slowly worked through their many, many issues. It wasn't easy for either of them, however, both of them kept to the unspoken agreement they had made on the boat that whatever was going on with them they were at least going to be civil to each other when others were around and after a while being 'civil' didn't seem like such hard work.

As Molly's due date grew closer, Alec even moved into the house, sleeping on the couch after John found him and a very ticked off Biggs curled up on the porch the morning after Molly had had a bad attack of heartburn and back pain, until one night the light flipped on, causing Alec to fall onto the floor.

"It's time," Ellen said as John helped Molly down the stairs.

Joshua, Max and Cindy, had all arrived at the clinic before the Winchesters had gotten there, not that Alec knew why they had been called, except Billy was standing there looking innocent as Mole and Logan turned up with Sketchy trailing along behind.

Alec sat outside the delivery room as Ellen and Molly went inside until John smacked him round the back of his head and told him to get in there.

* * *

Alec stood in the corner of the room as Ellen held Molly's hand, the guilt rising again as Molly screamed in pain, as she told her mother that she couldn't do it. He watched as Ellen stroked her hair, telling Molly that it would be over soon and to push.

Suddenly Molly stopped crying and the wailing began; a high pitched cry that didn't belong to anyone who had walked in the room.

"Do you want to cut the cord?" the midwife asked.

"What?" Alec replied.

"Go on," Ellen said reassuringly, pushing Alec forward until he came face to face with the little pink thing in the midwife's hands.

"Hello there," Alec said quietly after he had cut the cord.

Alec, for once in his life, was lost for words as he watched the midwife hand Molly the baby, as he watched her get acquainted with their child. It took a few minutes until one word came to his mind as he stared at the little yawning face. "Mine?"

A tired Molly smiled at him as she shook her head. "No. Ours'."

* * *

Alec, John, and Billy stood at the window looking at the little faces as the others joined them.

"And?" Max asked.

"Ten fingers and ten toes," Alec replied.

"And no tail," Billy added to which John just ruffled the boy's unruly brown hair.

Max looked at Alec. "And?"

Alec gave a little smile. "No, no code."

"Free then," Joshua said.

Alec nodded, "Yeah free."

"So, where is my name sake?" Mole asked. "Got to know who I'm going to be putting straight about things."

Alec turned to the window. "Second row, third one to the right."

They all turned to look in the window, searching for the new addition, finding the little tag that announced to the world 'Baby Girl Winchester.'

"Aimee," Alec said quietly as Joshua slapped Mole on the back. "Baby Mole."

Mole turned to Alec. "You ain't using it, Princess."

Alec grinned. "Too late now to change your mind."

"You were the one that told them they had to use it as a nickname," Logan joked, as Mole's face fell, "What was it you said, _'You went through everyone else's damn name, what the hell is wrong with mine!'_"

John smiled at the large transhuman. "Told you to be careful with what you should wish for."

Aimee Winchester moved into her and her mother's temporary home at her grandparents' a few days later, and Max saw the expression on Alec's face as he changed his first diaper. Logan found her sitting outside the house.

"Max, are you all right?"

Max turned round. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I think they are going to be all right, Max. Alec will cope."

Max nodded. "I know."

"So what is it?" Logan asked tentatively.

Max bit her lip, not answering him.

"Right," Logan said, not wanting to push it.

"I never thought it'd be like this. First you and me, and now..." Max stopped herself for a moment. "How did it get screwed up so much?"

"I don't know, but it is right now, isn't it?"

"Where is the Eye's Only optimism?"

Logan glanced through the window seeing Alec and Molly put their child down for a nap, "It's taken a beating lately, Max, but it is still there."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Things change, Max-the things we always assumed would be true, whether it be the people in our lives or situations we find ourselves in sometimes change in ways we could never imagine. It doesn't mean that they completely disappear, just become different, but it also doesn't mean that something good can't come of it."

"What does that mean?"

"Actually, I'm not sure, Max," he replied. "But I have to believe that somehow, someday everything will turn out all right. I just hope that on that day, whatever the outcome, that you find a way to be truly happy."

"Same goes for you," Max said quietly as Logan left.

* * *

The day that Molly moved into her new apartment full time also coincided with Aimee spending her first night in Terminal City. Max found herself standing in Alec's doorway as he panicked, not sure what to do with the screaming child.

"I've changed her diaper, fed her, burped her, but she won't quiet down Maxie. I don't know what else to do," he said, pleading as he bounced the little girl.

"You called Molly?"

Alec shook his head as the baby continued to cry. "No, she'll think I can't do it. She'll never let me have her again."

Max sighed. "No she won't. She was fine about you having the baby tonight."

"Yes she will, and if I call Ellen, she'll tell Molly, and then I'll only ever be able to see Aimee when they're around until she's graduated high school. Oh God, she's going to go to high school someday, Max. What will happen then?"

"Alec, calm down."

"No," Alec said as he worked himself up more and more. "Even if the ordinaries leave all us alone here, Aimee will grow up and go to school like all the other kids, then she'll learn to drive-no Molly can deal with the driving, in a car, not a bike. A big car that she can't fall off or out of or if anything hits it they'll come of worse."

Max smiled. Although it was slightly unsettling seeing him like this, she had to admit it was a little funny. "Are you planning on letting her drive or getting her a tank?"

"What's wrong with getting her a tank?" Alec asked seriously, before stopping. "On second thought, she won't drive. Definitely no driving for her."

"Why not?"

"Because then she'll be able to get to places on her own."

"And that's bad how, exactly?"

"Parties!" Alec said as he began to pace again. "She'll be a teenager and want to go spend time with her friends, and then go to parties, and if she can drive, then what happens if she drinks, because with teenagers, they are into that, aren't they? No, if she wants to go, then she'll need to be picked up, then I'll know what she's doing, because there is no way in hell she is going anywhere in a car alone especially to a place where teenage boys are."

"Right," Max sighed. "Alec, I think you are overreacting here."

"Overreacting, Max? No, I'm not!" he said, suddenly stopping in his tracks, "Oh god, this is payback isn't it? Someone upstairs is getting a huge laugh out of this because there are going to be boys, aren't there?"

"I think that might be a possibility," Max said with a slight smirk on her face. "Unless Aimee's already told you something different."

"Oh hell, no. There will be no boys, because they only think about one thing."

"Do they?"

"This isn't funny, Maxie," Alec said seriously, bouncing the whining child. "No teenage excuse of a male is getting his mitts on my little girl, and don't say they aren't all that bad because I know I was one, and at that age I only thought about one thing, even during missions."

"Only thought about it at that age?" Max asked, though he ignored her question. "What are you planning to do lock her up?"

His face paled. "Oh God, I've got a little girl! I have a daughter, Max! What happens if she goes into heat?"

"Where is this all coming from?" Max asked. "Alec, you're doing okay so far, and she's only a couple of months old, not sixteen."

"Sixteen? Please, tell me that was the first time you went through it. Tell me it was later than the females who were stuck back at base. Tell me that being outside made it happen later," Alec said with a pleading tone to his voice.

"Alec, calm down," Max said. "Because you are not sounding like you right now."

"Think about it, Max. How much do we know about transgenic and ordinary mixes? Even though her mother isn't transgenic. Aimee still might go through it, especially considering how we got her."

"Is this where you try and explain the cat-demon thing again?" Max asked sarcastically.

"Spirit. It was a spirit, Max. It was a cat spirit that possessed her and whammied me with a whole bunch of pheromones," he replied.

"Whatever," Max said, trying to focus back on the screaming child. "Have you tried to call Joshua?"

"No. Why?"

"Gem said that he always can get her to go to sleep."

"Do you think I should?"

Max hung her head in shame. She had slowly retreated from his life since Molly had turned up, and now he was standing in front of her working himself up more and more. As he began to pace again, she began to realise how much he needed her right now.

"Give her to me and call him," she said, taking the baby from his arms.

"He's going to come as soon as he can," Alec said as he came back from calling Joshua. He found Max sitting in on the couch, Aimee asleep in her arms. "How?"

Max shrugged. "I don't know."

"I think she likes you."

Max smiled. "Really? You think so?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah I think she does."

Max, Alec, and Joshua sat on the floor of the baby's room all night, watching Aimee sleep, saying barely a word.

The baby stirred around six, causing Alec to pick her up, letting Aimee settle back down in her father's arms. Max actually began to dose off a little after that, resting her head on Alec's shoulder as he gently rocked the child to sleep.

* * *

When Alec went around to Molly's to drop Aimee off, John and Ellen were there finishing moving their daughter in.

Max and Alec stood in the living room as Molly took the baby, leaving them to face John and Ellen.

"Alec, this isn't a good idea," Max whispered.

"Max, please" Alec replied, "I get you don't want to talk, but they need to know. It's time."

"Why?" Max asked.

"You know why," Alec said, "They know he existed Max, at some point they're going to hear the rest of it and its best they hear it from us. You did what you had to, he asked you to and nothing no-one can say is going to change that one fact Max. He asked you to."

John knotted his brow, stopping what he was doing as he noticed the exchange going on in the other corner of the room, "What is going on with you two."

Alec glanced at Max for a second before turning to John. "When we were stuck on the boat, we talked about getting all the big stuff out in the open, and even though you knew, you never asked me about him, about 493. Truth is I don't know much about him, but there is someone else who does."

John and Ellen looked at Max who stood there stoically.

"He was my brother and his name was Ben," she said with purpose, preparing for the worst. "Alec, he didn't tell you about him before because he was protecting... protecting me."

"What do you mean?" Ellen asked.

Max looked at the floor, "Ben well he..."

She took a deep breath and looked directly at John as told them everything.

Max waited for the fallout. John stood up, walking to the window. After a few minutes he spoke. "If you had left him to be picked up, what would they have done to him?"

"You don't want to know," Alec said, "Really, you don't want to know."

"Right," John replied, not saying another word.

Max looked at the ground, feeling the pain again. "When we we're young, back at Manitcore, he made up these stories to explain things. Zack looked out for us, but Ben, he made us feel that we were... loved somehow, that someone out there was watching over us. He made it bearable."

"And then what happened to him?" Ellen asked.

"Something broke him. We left Manitcore, and he broke inside," Max said quietly.

"Getting out of that place screwed up a lot of us," Alec added. "Truth is no one will ever really know."

John nodded, and they sat there in silence for what seemed like hours before he looked at his wife before turning to Max. "I get that it was hard to tell us what happened, Max, but it might be a good idea if you go now."

As they left, Ellen held onto her husband. "John, she did right. She had no choice, and you couldn't have helped him. You didn't know him or Alec existed, so don't do this. We've just put this family back together. Don't tear it apart again and not over a kid you never met and couldn't have helped."

"I should have known about him," John replied. "I should have."

* * *

Command was busy. Mole and Biggs were organizing a supply run while Dix was playing with the surveillance equipment that covered the outer walls of Terminal City when he came in.

Mole looked up. "John?"

John nodded his response.

"Alec isn't around at the moment," Biggs said, confused at John's appearance in the heart of Terminal City.

"Not here to see Alec," John replied.

"Then can we help?" Biggs asked.

"Where is she? Where is Max?"

"Max, someone to see you," Mole yelled through her office door.

"Give me a minute," she replied.

The door opened before she had a chance to finish what she was doing, causing her to look up slightly startled. "John? What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," John said firmly.

She swallowed, not exactly liking his tone as he walked into the office. On sensing her apprehension he sighed. "I'm not here to make a scene. Hell, Max, even without the army out there, I know damn well that you are more than capable of defending yourself."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Tell me about him. Tell me about your brother."

"I told you. I told you about Ben."

John shook his head, "No you told me what he did, and I know you didn't have a choice. Hell, if I had been in your place, I would have done the same thing. But I need to know what he was like before that. Tell me what he was like before he broke."

She looked away for a second, taking a breath, "Well, Ben, like I said, he was the one who gave us meaning, made the world make sense even though it didn't make sense to him."

"How?" John asked, pulling up a chair.

Max sat there and talked. John didn't say a word. He let her remember all the good things that she had pushed out of her mind about how, when she had the shakes, Ben and Jondy would climb into her bed to make her feel safe, how Ben would tell stories for them all to fall asleep to.

The only time he said anything was to ask questions about what types of stories Ben had told them-were they about monsters and protectors, about the wonderful world that lay just beyond the wall or gates or whatever Manticore had kept them in. When she had said that some of them were, he nodded, to which she asked if they were like the stories that Dean used to tell his little brother, to which he said one word: "Sometimes."

She told him of how it had hurt Ben the most when they had taken their brother, Jack. That he had been the only one to rail against it, how Ben had paid the price when the guards had found him on the roof. How she was never sure but she had always thought that it had been Ben that put the idea in Zack's head about escaping, about what to do if the guards came for her because her shakes had gotten worse because Ben couldn't take loosing her like they had lost Jack.

He listened to how she had blamed herself for his breaking, that if she hadn't gotten the seizures that Zack wouldn't have gotten them all out and Ben would have been whole.

John listened to her tale right to the end he silently stood up and walked to the door. He turned and looked at her. "If he was going to break, he was going to break, and not a damn thing you could have done to stop it, girl. Only thing you could have done for him is end him as soon as you found out what he was doing, and you already did that."

Max started to cry as he left her, turning to face the window as he left her, not too sure what she felt as she sat alone in the small quiet office in the middle of the hub of the bustling Terminal City.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Nope still own nothing.**

**Almost done with this bit!**

* * *

As the time went on and on, Billy started to spend more and more time in bed, the news hadn't been good. With his condition he needed a transplant, but due to other factors, he was not a great candidate for the transplant list, not that he complained. Joshua had finished the mural on the wall, so he had plenty of time to look at the artwork.

Alec had slipped John a number, not that he had told anyone else about it, though Max and Logan guessed, not that they could blame them. But English Eddie and the Steelheads didn't deal in black market organs anymore and didn't know anyone that currently did, not that John had stopped putting out inquiries.

It was a couple of weeks later when Ellen found Billy passed out on the couch. They got the boy to the hospital as quickly as they could, and the whole family sat and waited for the doctors to be told that all they could do was make Billy comfortable at that point.

John had stood up and walked into the hospital room, scooped his son out of the bed, and started down the corridor.

"We're going home," he had simply said before marching out of the hospital.

* * *

The house was busy the next few days, everyone coming around. Billy enjoyed the noise and life as everyone refused to be sad, refused to say goodbye. He played with the baby a little as well as sitting with his friends who came around, cutting school over those few days didn't seem to get anyone in as much trouble as it usually did.

They started to take shifts as he slept, not that it was planned or organised. It just started. They sat there and watched over him during nap time, not that Billy was happy about it – they could deny it, but he knew they were watching him as he slept – downright freaky, he said, and if you couldn't get some alone time when you slept, when the damn hell was he going to get it? His mother told him to watch his language, to which Billy had asked what was she going to do, ground him? He spent most of his time in his room as it was. Ellen had stared down her son for a second before muttering something about Billy being his father's son.

Billy's breathing got more and more labored after that, until it reached the point when he couldn't get out of bed at all. He tried to be strong, tried not to be scared as he started asking his sister questions about what happened after, after things ended. She gave him books and sat with him, telling him that it, if there was definitely a hell, that meant that there was definitely a heaven. Billy sat there and stared at her for a second.

"Stupid, I know that. It's just all the books say different stuff, so I want to know which one I'm supposed to go to, because I'm not going to sit on cloud and play a stupid harpy thing, because that is so boring."

Molly looked at him. "What do you want, then?"

"A nightclub with a few honeys would do. I think I'd like that."

Molly shook her head, "You are a teenage boy, aren't you?"

"Well, I ain't chopped liver," he said with a big grin on his face.

"Billy," Molly said with a disapproving tone in her voice.

"Oh, come on, I'm fourteen," he replied with a pout on his face. "And what guy my age doesn't think about things like that!"

"I don't want to hear this."

"No, don't you do that; don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like '_Billy, you shouldn't think about things like that,'_" he said angrily.

"I'm not looking at you like that."

"Yes, you are. I'm checking out soon, and I know it, so I'm done playing the nice 'little Downs boy' just to make everyone else feel comfortable. I might be slow on some things and get confused a bit, but I'm growing up even if you don't like it."

"When have I, Mom, or Dad expected you to be the nice little Downs boy?"

"I don't know, but lots of people expect me to be nice and innocent all the time or there are the ones that expect me to be... just retarded."

"Billy, you know I don't like you using that word. You are not retarded," Molly said firmly. "What you are and always will be is my baby brother, so I really don't want to hear about your thoughts about girls, and that has nothing to do with you being sick or the fact that you are special."

"It's just I don't want to miss out on the things boys my age get to do, especially seeing as how I don't have much time left."

"And what does Curly say to that?"

Billy looked serious. "We've discussed it, and she's fine with it."

"Really?"

"Yes, and so is Emily, Cally, and Pippa."

"What? Billy, who are they?"

"I met them at the day center. They're really nice," Billy said innocently.

"Right," Molly replied. "And..."

"Hey, it isn't like I'm stringing anyone along. They all know the score. It's not exclusive. They can see other guys if they want to. No one is expecting to get married or anything. We're way too young for that. "

"And Curly?"

"I said she's fine. I like her lots, and she likes me, too, even though she's a lot smarter than me. As I said, it isn't exclusive, and she's only thirteen. It wouldn't be fair to put all this pressure on her to be my girlfriend seeing how I'm..."

"Billy, don't," Molly said.

Billy narrowed his gaze. "It's going to happen, Molly. Not like we can change it. As I said, she's fine, and she's spending lots of time with all of the transgenics at her school, too. She could have her pick of any of the guys there, and that is without the fact that there ain't a lot of female transhumans of her age, but she still wants to spend time with me."

"Because she likes you."

He nodded. "She tells me what the guys at her school do to try impress her, and I tell her about the stuff that I'm doing. We don't keep secrets. Anyway, the girls all know each other."

"They know each other?"

"Yep, all of them were over this morning, and they got along fine, well, except Cally and Pippa, but they had some argument, but what can you do with sisters."

"Sisters?"

"Yeah, sisters. Twins actually. They turned sixteen last week if you're wondering, and yes they are like me, but they're smart, too. Is there something wrong with that?"

Molly ran a hand over her face. "Christ, Billy, if you go on like this, you are going to cause a riot pretty soon."

"Nah," he said honestly before breaking out in a big grin. "You think?"

"Yes, I think."

"Cool," he said slowly, the smile still plastered on his face.

"Not cool, Billy!"

"Hell yes, it is," Billy replied.

"Billy, you don't have to have lots of girls on the go to compete with your brothers. You know that."

"Who the hell says I'm competing?" Billy asked firmly. "Anyway, Mom never lets Dad tell the stories about what Sam, and more importantly, Dean got up to with girls when I'm in the room."

"You don't want to hear them, anyway."

"Why not? If I don't hear them, I just have to use my imagination."

"A fourteen-year-old's imagination? Not good," Molly said with a shake of her head.

The grin he gave her lit up his pale, tired face. "I'll have you know I have a hell of an imagination!"

* * *

He passed away a little after two in the afternoon as the rain stopped. It looked as if he was still asleep-a little drool in the corner of his mouth, his bedding all scrunched up the way it got every time he took a nap. John stood at the doorway knowing that it was over-that Billy wasn't breathing as Ellen came up the stairs with the laundry; he grabbed hold of her as she broke down realising what was happening.

The service was big. Transgenics and hunters came to pay their respects as they said goodbye to a teenager who hadn't had the chance to do as much as he should have.

When they cleaned out his room they found a large brown envelope, containing, _'The Last Will and Testament of William Robert Winchester (2010 -2024)'._ It had been witnessed by a couple of his friends and it set down, in Billy's own unique style, how what little he had, was to be divided up among the people he cared about.

His old baseball card collection to one of his friends at the daycenter; his books on ghosts and monsters went to Curly because she was interested in those things, even though the real reason was more to do with the fact that he probably wanted her to know how to protect herself; with the rest of his books to go to Bugle and Larry. His model plane collection was to be given to little Mo, who at the age of 5, had announced that she was part pterodactyl, and was going to fly some day, after seeing a film on dinosaurs.

He had left a couple of sketch book he had doodled in to Joshua, so the big fella could improve on his teaching techniques, for when he got a more willing pupil. His journals went to Cindy as he wanted someone outside his family to remember him exactly as he was and not paint him as anything else and he trusted her to do that.

With the Will, they also found a large pile of letters for everyone with a note which stated in big writing, that he knew that writing letters to people for after he was gone was cliché, but what were they going to do to him now? Summon him back from the dead to complain?

They were simple things, goodbyes and thanks for everything, apologising to Molly for being so horrible to her at times when they were younger, saying sorry that he wouldn't be around to see Aimee grow up. To Alec he told him that he shouldn't be so hard on himself, that he bet that he was going to be a good dad. To Max had written thanks for everything, and that she didn't have to act so tough all the time. To Logan, Billy had thanked him for the computer lessons, but he was to remember that he needed to lighten up a bit.

To his parents, he had written a long letter saying that he was sorry he was going, but they were not to worry about him, that he wouldn't be alone, that he would have Mary and Bill there, and if they were as nice as in the stories, he had been told they would look after him, and there would be Uncle Bobby and Patton the dog, too.

Also, if he could find a way, he was sure he would be able to find something about what happened to his big brothers and sister, and if spirits can find a way back to tell people things, he could, too.

* * *

Alec found John in a bar by the bay a little after two in the morning near the place where Billy had asked them to scatter his ashes.

"Thought I'd find you here."

"What do you want?" John slurred.

"Ellen was worried."

John smiled a nasty smile. "Was she?"

"Don't be like that," Alec replied.

"Go away," John said, going for the bottle.

Alec grabbed it, placing it out of John's reach. "You don't want that."

"Don't tell me what I want."

"When were you going to tell us?"

John knotted he brow. "What?"

"Carr called, said you missed your appointment."

"None of your goddamn business."

"Like hell it ain't!" Alec said angrily. "Christ, John, we've all played dumb around you long enough about the fact you're sick, because we all knew you were doing something about it."

"Shouldn't you be off changing diapers or running after Max?" John said to Alec as he tried to get the barkeep's attention.

Alec shook his head, causing the barkeep to walk by.

"Carr told Ellen it's still treatable."

"So what?" John said. "What is the point?"

"You know what the point is, John. You get the treatment, and then the cancer will be gone."

John smiled, lifting the empty glass. "Got my own treatment plan."

"Right," Alec said, lifting John out of his chair and carrying him out of the bar.

John took a swing at Alec as they got outside. "You got no right."

"Don't I?" Alec said, easily deflecting the blow.

"Leave me alone," John said.

"I can't. I promised Ellen I'd get you home," Alec replied. "And don't say that you didn't think that she wouldn't know you were gone."

"Stay out of this," John yelled.

"No," Alec replied. "Pops, I get it, I do, but please look at yourself. You're a mess."

John slumped. "Alec, go away."

"Losing Billy, it hurt us all like a bitch, and I know that you want to have the pain go away, but please, we need you. Ellen needs you."

"No she don't," John said. "She's got things to do."

"I know she is putting all her time into Molly and the baby, but she needs you too. She just doesn't know how to get through to you."

"Ellen will be fine," John said. "So will Molly."

"Fine, then go. Crawl into a bottle, have that cancer in your gut eat you up, and die," Alec said. "See if I care."

"Okay, I will."

"Right, and I'll deal with that demon you say that has it out for this family when Aimee turns six months old as well as everything else."

"What?"

"Aimee. Remember her?" Alec retorted. "Part of this family."

"What has she got to do with this?"

Alec didn't know what to say, "Okay, I was wrong. I don't get you. I really don't. Did it never enter your head that she might need you? That I might need you?"

"No, you don't," John said in disgust.

"It didn't, did it? Well, we do, Pop. I don't know what to do. You came here, gave me something I never had before, and now, after all the crap that we have dealt with, you go and decide to do this."

"It's my decision."

Alec shook his head, "Well thanks, Pops. Glad to know that Aimee and I mean that much to you."

"You keep bringing her into this."

"She is part of this, even if the Yellow-Eyed whatever doesn't turn up, I need you. I can't do this alone. I don't know how to be a father, and I don't have anyone to ask apart from you."

"You'll be all right."

"Will I? I'm a weapons system, Pop, I'm a killing machine. They never designed me to be a dad. Ellen can help Molly when she gets stuck, but what do I do? Who do I ask? Who is going to stop me screwing up?" Alec asked, as the rain poured down. "Please, Pop. You said I'm not like Dean, and you're right. I can't hold everybody together like you say he did. I need you, Aimee needs you, Ellen needs you. Billy wouldn't want you to go out like this. He wouldn't want you to leave her all alone, not without a fight."

* * *

John stood at the doorway of the house, hesitating before opening the door. After about a minute she did.

"I'm sorry," he said with tears in his eyes.

Ellen held on to him, not caring that he was soaking wet and stank of stale booze. "I am, too."

* * *

_Six weeks later._

Max shifted uncomfortably as John brushed past her on his way to one of the kitchen cabinets.

"Are you just going to stand there?" he barked as he left the room.

She sheepishly followed him into the living room, not one hundred percent sure what she was meant to do.

"He doesn't want me here," she said quietly to Alec as she walked up to his position by the window.

"Don't start this now Max," he replied as he glanced over his shoulder to see John retouching the salt lines as Ellen kept point while Joshua watched Molly trying to get Aimee off to sleep.

"I killed Ben, and if John accepts you as his son, then he has to see Ben in the same way," she argued. "And I killed him! You are kidding yourself if you think that John isn't going to have problems with that, with me, so don't tell me not to start this now."

"Max, stop it. We all know why you had to do it, and yeah, John may not like it, but he said it himself; he would have done the same thing. Anyway, he knows why you're here, and why Joshua is here, and trust me, he's as much pissed at me for asking Joshua to turn up as much as me asking you to come."

"Why am I here? I get this is some weird 'family bonding' thing going on, but why do want me and Joshua here?"

Alec grabbed her arm, pulling her a little further to the side, "Because I want you guys here. I need you here."

"Alec, this thing that John told you about doesn't exist," Max said. "No 'demon' is coming for Aimee. We have enough shit to worry about with White and the government without you letting John fill your and Molly's heads about yellow-eyed things from hell. Or are you making a big deal out of tonight so that John'll keep going for chemo?"

He glared at her. "Okay, yeah he said that he'd keep up with the treatments, but it isn't just that, Max. These things exist."

"I'm not saying John and Ellen are completely crazy. It's like you told me. It could be some genetic project that he came across all those years ago."

He shook his head. "No, it came for Sam, it came for Billy, but I'm guessing that was just to piss of John off, so it probably will leave Aimee alone. But I'm not risking it, I'm not risking her."

"Then answer my question. If this thing is from hell, and you're not sure how to stop it, how does me and Joshua being here help?"

He scratched his head, trying to work out how to phrase this. "From the stuff I've read and the hunters I've talked to...," he swallowed, took a breath, and came flat out and said it. "Some animals, like dogs and cats, are able to sense supernatural stuff before it hits, and I'm not sure if it will work because I'm not sure if those few times I went out with John that I sensed anything before John did..."

"Wait, you want me and Joshua to act as an early warning system?" Max said, slightly affronted.

Alec rolled his eyes, "We ain't human, Max. I know you don't like to be reminded of it, but we aren't, so yeah, I think that we could possibly get some funky feeling before it hits, or that Joshua could, seeing how he probably has more undiluted animal DNA in him than the rest of us."

"But if you're not convinced that it the freaky feeling thing works for you, you can't say that I'd be any different, because even with Sandeman's little adjustments to my DNA, I'm no different functioning wise than any other X-5, unless you think that me being female makes me in tune with my 'feelings.'"

He let out a chuckle before putting a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, Maxie, accusing you of being in touch with your feelings is something I don't think I or let alone anyone else will ever do."

She crossed her arms, causing him to stop smiling.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "You are going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Say what?"

"Jesus, you are. You couldn't just be here because I asked, could you? Just because Molly and I want you here for this?" he said, causing her to glare even harder.

"I need you here because you are... better than me," he said quickly. "Right, now I said it. Happy?"

"Excuse me?" she replied.

"Max, right here, right now you are better than me, you and that damn Shark DNA of yours."

"What does my DNA have to do with this?"

He bit his lip for a second. "Because even though I know I'm sharp without my minimum four hours for more than three days, and I haven't been awake anything close to that, your reaction time might be better."

"What does my reaction time got to do with this?"

He took a look at Molly, who had been watching them talk as she held her sleeping daughter. She nodded. Alec swallowed before turning back to Max. "Because if this thing comes and we can't stop it, I need you to take Aimee and run."

"What?"

"I'm serious, Max. I'm sorry to lay this on you, but this yellow-eyed, I don't know what, could come anytime tonight, and if it comes, you might be able to assess things a split second faster than I would, so if it happens and you think that it is going south, here, I want you to take Aimee and get the hell out of here."

She stood there in stunned silence for a moment. "Alec?"

"No. Molly and I talked about it. We know what will happen to the rest of us, but we figure it would give you time to get Aimee and get to some church, temple, mosque, or something where the two of you should be safe or safer." He looked at her shocked face before he admitted, "I'm not too sure how it works, not with high-up demons. John said that it probably wouldn't do any good, but I figure a place of worship would be safer."

She didn't answer him.

"Oh, come on, Maxie, I'm as much in the dark about this stuff as you are," he admitted. "I'm trying to hedge my bets here."

"Alec, you've just asked me to take off with your child while you guys make some grand last stand against an extra from a crap direct-to-DVD horror movie! How do you expect me to take it?"

"It isn't just that."

"What! There's more? More than Joshua and I getting in touch with our Indian spirit guide so we can to sense if an 'earthquake' is on its way, and more than the 'please be responsible for my small child as I get killed by something that only exists in John's head'?"

"Maxie, please." He looked at the floor. "It's like you said. I'm as much John's son as Ben was. I have Dean's DNA in me. That makes me... a Winchester."

"So?"

"It killed Mary. It might have been because she was in the way of it getting to Sam, but it killed Sam's girlfriend, and I'm guessing that, if it had gotten to Billy that night, Ellen would have been toast, and probably Molly, too."

"So?"

"If it does come, and it can't get into here, it might go somewhere else; hurt somebody else to make a point."

"What does that have to do with me?" she asked, confused, to which he didn't answer. "Alec, what are you saying?"

"You know, Max. I don't want it coming after you just to hurt me," he said, causing her to take a breath.

"Alec?"

"If you are here and it does come, then you're less of a soft target. If you're here, then it's less likely to try and pick you off when you're by yourself." He looked into her confused face. "Because if it can't get to Aimee and Molly tonight, it might go for you … and Joshua."

She swallowed. "And Joshua?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You two are family to me, right?"

"Family?"

He scratched his head as he nervously continued, "Yeah. Remember when we first got out, it was you, me, and the big guy. I know it wasn't all that much fun and that I didn't deserve it, but I always knew that you guys had my back."

She stared at him as he continued.

"All the people that John is close to are already in this room, so it might go for people that I'm close to just to make a point against the Winchesters, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you... and Joshua."

"Because you see us 'both' as family."

He bit his bottom lip. "Yeah."

"Fine, then," she said curtly before turning around, calling out to John, asking him which door he wanted her to watch.

Alec closed his eyes as Max walked away, inwardly telling himself that this wasn't the time or the place to try and work out what exactly he had said wrong this time.

* * *

Max looked out of the window as the sun started to rise over the Seattle skyline after a quiet, if not very tense night.

"And can someone tell me why you guys were so desperate to do this again?" she asked Alec.

Alec looked at a tired Molly and Joshua who were entertaining Aimee who was lying on a baby blanket in the middle of the sitting room. "Just in case."

Max turned around as everyone else stopped and looked at her. Max sighed. "Right, I get it. Don't break the lines again."

John nodded before adding gruffly, "That's right."

"Little fella get in trouble," Joshua said smiling at Max as she stepped over the salt line.

She pouted. "At least I didn't almost shoot the damn starling off its branch."

"It was four am and it was singing. They don't do that normally," Alec replied.

John sighed. "They do sometimes."

Joshua smiled. "Alec no expert on birds."

"Not of the winged variety, unless they're deep fried," Alec said with a slight grin on his face.

Joshua turned to Molly. "Someone smell. I think."

"Thanks, Josh," Molly said as the she picked her daughter up to take her to get her diaper changed.

"Ellen, are you going be able to get all this salt out of the carpet?" Max asked.

Ellen shrugged. "I don't know, but right now I don't care."

Alec looked at the rising sun. "It's over?"

"I think so," Ellen nodded. "John?"

"Yeah, I think so," John said, feeling ambivalent, happy at his family being safe and disappointed at not getting another shot at the same time.

"Now what?" Max asked, "Do you want us to sit up all night every six months?"

John stood up and went to the back door. He took a breath of the morning air, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood before it started to rise. He smiled; sure he heard a boy's laugh and a dog barking in the distance.

"No, I think we're all right." He turned around to face the others. "So, Max, you told Ellen about this idea you and Cindy have for her and that bar you go to."

"What bar?" Ellen asked as John closed the back door.


	15. Epilogue

_Last bit of this one I'm afraid - decided to put a little epilogue that should hopefully bring it right up to the beginning of Rituals and Chocolate Cream Pie._

_If you want to find out what happens next I suggest you read that - that is if you are willing to go through all of that one (14 chapters and still rising)._

_Anyways hoped you liked this one - let us know what you think because, well I have these self esteem issues and getting a review or two to tell me what someone thinks sometimes helps ;)_

_And thanks must be said to Twinkiecat and Mayalaen with regard to betaing this for me.  
_

_

* * *

_

_Two Years Later (June 2026)_

"John, what are you doing sitting in the dark?" Ellen asked as she came into the kitchen and flicked on a light

John turned his head. "Thinking. Anyway, not in the dark. Back light is on."

She put a hand on his shoulder as she joined him. "The porch light?"

"Yeah," he said with a smile.

"It's been more than a month, John," she said as she saw the page on the photo album he was on.

"I know, and before you say it, I know it's been nineteen years," John said, pulling her into his lap.

"Is this because of the doctor today?" Ellen asked.

He shook his head. "No, tests are routine. They'll be the last ones, remember?"

"If they come out all right," Ellen said.

"They will," John replied. "You shouldn't worry about it."

"Well, I do. But if it isn't that, then what?"

John shrugged. "I don't know."

"John, you sulked on Sam's birthday, and you were a bear with a sore head on the actual anniversary. So what now?"

"Nothing. Hell, I don't know," John said. "I can't get over it. Sam's forty-three now."

"And Dean would be forty-seven, and Jo would be forty-one, although she would definitely not like that."

"I'll take your word on it," John said, giving Ellen a small kiss.

"You coming back to bed?"

"In a minute," he said as she got up to go. "I've been thinking."

She stopped and turned. "Why don't I think this is good?"

"Why don't we get away for a couple of days?"

"Excuse me?" Ellen asked.

"Why don't we? It's quiet. Why don't we just go?"

Ellen rubbed her brow. "Quiet? You think it's quiet?"

"You know what I mean."

"John, Alec has disappeared with Max doing something that involves the Russian Mafia as well as stealing something from White if what I can get out of Logan is right, which means we will probably be patching up some piece of your son when he comes back. Molly is at the end of her rope because she has been dumped with most of the arrangements for Eve's birthday party while Gem fills in at Command, and you have caused half of the hunters in the country to bring dead birds here, filling up the freezer in the bar you talked me into buying."

John smiled. "Yeah, it's quiet."

"Jesus, John," Ellen said with a shake of her head. "Anyway, I thought you were going to help Fix-It and Luke set up their garage?"

"I'm semi-retired, which means I can take time off when I want to. Anyway, they need to start doing things by themselves, get some confidence in running things," John said. "I'm not talking about a cruise; just a couple of days."

Ellen smiled. "While the painting is going on?"

"Maybe, but you need a break I need a break, and you got to admit, it would be nice to get away from here while the place turns into a disaster zone. We'll be back in time for the results. Carr said it'd be about a week."

"You called Joshua, didn't you?" Ellen asked.

"Yeah," John admitted. "He said he can touch up Billy's wall while everyone else does the rest."

"Okay," Ellen said, not really wanting to be around the house as Joshua worked on the mural he had done for her son a few years before, "a couple of days away would be nice."

"Yeah, it would, wouldn't it?" John said. "There is a place a couple of hours outside the city, hires cabins out. What do you think?"

Ellen nodded. "Yeah, sounds nice, but why do I feel like we're tempting fate here."

John shrugged. "What could happen?"

"With this family?" Ellen asked.

* * *

_Wyoming_

"Eighty, right?" the man said as he counted the cash.

His opponent shook his head. "Sorry, dude, it was an even hundred, but don't take it too hard. I'll buy you a beer."

"Fine," the man said as he was poured a glass from the pitcher.

"So Seattle. What is it like?"

The man shook his head. "You seem like nice people, for a bunch of pool hustlers, anyway, but I'd be lying if I tell you going that way is a good idea."

The three of them looked at each other before turning back to the man they had just taken a hundred bucks off of.

"Why do you say that," Sam asked to which the man just looked confused.

"You guys been stuck down a rabbit hole or something?"

"Humor us," Sam replied.

"Because the freaks are there?"

"What freaks?" Jo asked.

"You don't know? Good luck, then," the man said, picking up his glass and walking off.

"Dean?" Sam started to say.

"Don't say it, Sam," Dean said cutting his brother off. "We're going."

Sam clenched his jaw. "I'm not saying not to go. What I'm saying is going in when we don't know what we're facing might not be a good idea."

"Doesn't matter about any 'freaks' that may or may not be in Seattle. We are going, and putting it off isn't going to help things," Dean said to Sam and Jo. "Look, I know the past couple of weeks have been fucked up, even by our standards, but if we have come unglued in time or space or whatever geek-type metaphor you want to use, then we need answers from someone we can trust. That means we are going to Seattle, because if there is a chance that Ellen and our dad are there, then that is where we are headed; 'freaks' or no 'freaks', you got me."


End file.
